Broken
by CheyRose
Summary: It's everyone's last year at Hearst, and when an un-case becomes a case, Veronica finds herself teamed up with Shawn Spencer, of Psych, as they investigate a tragic death for a friend. Newly updated as of 11/3.
1. Chapter 1

Broken

Chapter One

Notes- VERY first shared VMFic. I'm going for making it into a mystery so don't let Logan/OFC throw your guys off, this is just the beginning! It will be LoVe, at least to some degree! Constructive criticism is encouraged.

–

Today marks the first day of our last year at Hearst. I guess it's no surprise about half of us have our futures planned ahead of us and the other half are just going to wing it. We were always an odd little bunch.

Take Mac, computers have always been her thing, and Dick was born into realty, so when he took over Casablancas Real Estate and bought Kane Software, I guess it was only a matter of time before he offered the company up to his girlfriend. They've been dating about a year now. The sparks flew earlier on but it took them both a while to get past their issues, namely the ones Cassidy left behind for them to work through.

Wallace got ahead of his engineering classes finally, and after two very successful summer internships, he's looking to be working for a major airline next year. Couldn't be any prouder of him, and he's been made well aware that he's gotta get me some airmiles to take a vacation after this four-year massacre they call a hundred-thousand dollar education.

Duncan's back in California, now that both of the Mannings are long gone, he's gravitated toward his father to a degree but he lives with his little girl, Lilly, in San Diego. Looks like he just plans to be a stay-at-home dad. But the job seems to suit him. It's something Jake would never have pushed for him to do back in high school.

After my internship at the FBI things didn't really work with Piz, especially with all the conflicted feelings for Logan. The FBI doesn't seem to work either, for all that wanting to get away, I feel like I need to stick around here to work. So I've been studying to stick with local law enforcement. Even if I have to set up some kind of office of my own. That'd be cool right? Sheriff Vs Sheriff. Legalities be damned!

As for Piz, he's still set on becoming a DJ. There's not a lot to say there, because not very much has expanded or changed with Beaverton.

And then there's Logan. We spent the entire year after Freshmen year trying to figure one another out better, then another year trying to be friends. But we never took it another step further again. I think my insecurities plus his own finally formed into genuine forcefields around us. We added to the gang last year, a transfer from Santa Barbara named Tesla Spencer. Her dad was a detective, her brother is a P.I., so we hit it off pretty fast. I guess that sort of figures, Logan jumped on her within weeks of her joining us for our Junior year at Hearst.

Yeah that's weird to say. But at this point, there's really no sense in dwelling. The rumors started last month, whispers at the Hut that became celebrity news and Hearst radio talk. Today it was confirmed for much of the school, who didn't dare believe it when they heard it. When the pictures hit , even. Logan walked onto campus with Tess' hand in his, and her little but obvious bump walked on right along with them. This wasn't my confirmation, when the wildfire started Logan met up with most of us for coffee and dessert. It was one of those nights of reckless passion, and she refused to get rid of it.

Being the gentlemen he was, Logan wasn't going to force the issue, and he wasn't going to abandon the mother of his child. I spent about a weak off the net and living off of CD's in the car. When I didn't have to be anywhere I was curled up in bed with Backup wondering if I had pressed the issue, made the first move, I'd be the one. . .Well that's silly, and I know that. I'm not ready to be a mother and despite his romantics, I know maybe better than him that Logan isn't ready to be a father.

But now school's back in and I'm in supportive friend mode. We all had lunch together, me, Logan, Tess and Wallace and Mac and Tess's bump. Parker declined the invite, she was hopeful when Logan and I didn't get back together after a year that he might have decided he was in love with her after all, so she spent that second year trying to win him back only to be crushed last fall at the news of his hookup with Tess.

I've only got a few classes this year because of summer courses last year and this past summer, at lunch we all chatted about classes, and how Tess was due right around Christmas time. I worked up enough voice to ask if they knew they sex since she was about five months along, and Tess just smiled to herself a little, Logan looked at her. . .I've never seen that look on his face and he told me, "We don't want to find out before he or she arrives."

I never would have pegged him to be so. . .a part of it. But I'm glad he's not leaving her to do the hard work herself with just his money to help.

–

Veronica had left shortly before the end of the lunch period to get to her last class of the day early. Wallace and Mac soon followed and Logan nodded a goodbye to him as he chewed down the potato chip in his mouth, wiped his hands and then his mouth on a napkin and spoke with food still in his mouth but he swallowed halfway through the sentence. "So I have class until four, do you wanna maybe hang out here after yours and wait for me?"

Tess' paused in patting her face with her compact's powder applicator, covering the area of makeup wiped off by her own napkin a few moments before. She wasn't obsessed with beauty, partciularly before the pregnancy, but the rise in hormones saw a rise in agitation and thus breakouts, so she tended to conceal the spots out of embarrassment. She was naturally soft on the eyes, a departure in Logan's taste, dark brownish/red hair, wide blue eyes. Thin lips, and a soft smile. Freckled on her arms and back but only a couple on her face. She shrugged a little, not so much indifferent as. .kicked back.

"I haven't got anything better to do, I can wait for you or just take the bus."

"I don't want you taking the bus," He told her sternly, but not harshly. His voice protective but gentle. "Too many random strangers grabbing at your belly. No one needs to be touching you, could be any kind of crazy person on those buses. We'll go home together."

Tess sighed and stood slowly, still getting used to the added weight and girth on her petite frame. Leaned to kiss him softly on the cheek. "Then I'll wait for you."

The baby had changed them. They'd started out hot and wild, sure to burn out by summer before Tess came to him in May with the paper from her doctor's. She'd asked them to make a printout of the pregnancy test results for him. Logan had taken three days to himself before offering her marriage, which she declined, explaining she wasn't interested in using the baby to get at his money and she wasn't trying to force him to help. She just wanted him to know, in case he did. He didn't get back to her until some time part-way through June. So she trusted his word was genuine.

They were calmer now. Logan had been in panic mode for a few weeks even after he came to her to offer his help as the baby's father. And that itself had never come into question. Nevertheless, Tess gave blood samples to three different labs, along with hair samples from Logan to confirm his paternity for his own reassurance. She'd gotten the lab names from Veronica, so she knew they could be trusted. Logan refused to look at the results, and Tess didn't see any reason. The only person who had seen them was Veronica herself. The issue was dead within days of starting.

Logan escorted her to her class and then went to join his own, and at around four her met her in the college library to take her books and lead her outside to where the Land Rover was parked. He opened the door and she climbed in carefully, buckling below the bump before setting her bag on the floor by her feet, straps high and stiff so it was easy to grab from there. Logan was soon sitting next to her and he reached into the backseat to set their books on it before leaning for a gentle kiss. "You feeling okay? Was everyone nice?"

"Everyone was nice." She promised, settling into the seat as he started the SUV up. "I have to go to Santa Barbara this weekend but I can drive there and back."

Logan looked at her apprehensively. By now he knew Tess as a girl who really could take care of herself but nonetheless, he had to worry. The beginning of the pregnancy was rough on him, but come the fifth month she wasn't sick or sore or always tired and now the baby was moving on occasion and despite not really being able to feel it under his hand, or face, Logan tried, every time she mentioned it or made the 'ooh!' sound.

"I dunno, Tess, I mean, what if you go into early labor behind the wheel or somethin'?" It was meant playfully and he grinned at the look she shot him before sighing. "Just you know, call. As you're leaving and don't hang up until you pull in at your dad's. Are you staying at your dad's?"

"Yeah, in my old room. Mom's there." Logan looked at her briefly with surprise before addressing the road again and she nodded. "Yeah that was our reaction, anyhow I'm supposed to be doing dinner with them and the brother type and I figure I'll stay the weekend since I'll be lugging my big fat self around the city. ."

"You're not fat, Tess. You're perfect. The fetus thanks you for letting your gut get basketball round so he's got room to not be AS bunched." Sometimes he said something like that and inwardly, Tess melted at the sweetness behind it. She got him, on an automatic level that most people didn't, which was why it was easy for him to love her and to just like her on a relaxed level. The relationship was far from perfect, but their quirks made it bearable.

Tess smiled and dropped her gaze shyly, smiled at him again and patted his hand on the gearshift before looking out the windshield. In that split second that it took to do that Logan looked to smile at her as her face scrunched into terror. "Look out!"

Instinctively he swerved the car, and it flung in a circle before there was a sickening groan and crashing noises as the SUV flipped. It rolled in the dirt and vegetation on the side of the road before it was still. When Logan came to, the door on his side was being ripped off and he looked up at the men in suits that had come to save him and he thought for a brief second, that they were safe. His heart flipped in his chest when he realized what had happened and immediately jumped to try to look around the car, the air filled with dust. "Tess. . TESS! Get the fuck off of me! Tess! My girlfriend. . .my girlfriend you have to. . .she's pregnant, please. . ."

"It's all right sir, we already got her out, she's safe. She's okay. You have to come with us." Hearing that she was safe was enough. Logan let them pull him out and soon he was unconscious again.

–

Veronica was moving down the corridor at a furious pace, her feet landing heavily as she walked. She had already visited the nurse's station and was almost to the door of Logan's hospital room, paused when she was just outside of it and took a deep breath. It was a private suite so there was an actual door, and she opened it and smiled at him before stepping in. "Hi, I got here as fast as I could. Are you okay?"

He was sitting on the side of the bed fiddling with his phone, and he nodded. "A few stitches, but they wanna do a CAT scan. FUCK." Slammed his phone into the bed and ran his hands over his face. "They block phone reception and they won't talk to me about Tess. I swear to God if. . ."

"Okay." Veronica quickly grabbed his shoulder. "I will go and see about Tess but you just relax and don't rip your stitches, okay?" He nodded, though he looked displeased with her suggestion. And with a sigh Veronica held up a finger to signal she wouldn't be long before she found herself at the nurse's station again.

"Hi, sorry, can you tell me where Tesla Spencer is? What's her condition?"

The nurse typed her name in and looked at the computer a moment. "She's in a room on maternity, her condition is stable."

Veronica sighed with relief. "And her baby? Does it say anything about. …?"

"Stable as well."

Veronica managed a smile and nodded to her. "Thank you, very much." She returned to Logan's room and paused as he looked up at her, studied the anxious, hopeful look on his face. Then she smiled and said, "Tess is okay, so is the baby, I think they're just monitoring them to make sure everything stays strong and normal and whatnot."

"Yeah, good." Logan coughed nervously, clearly feeling awkward discussing the baby with just Veronica there. "Hey can you go check on her while I wait to get discharged? I don't. .she shouldn't be alone."

With a sad glance Veronica nodded and left, took another deep breath and took an elevator up to maternity, before she found out Tess' room number and went to make her visit. She knocked twice before walking in, and the difference in her room and Logan's was damn near staggering. Smaller despite the machines keeping track of the baby's vitals, dingy, it smelled. Veronica smiled. "How you feeling?"

Tess was laying back in the bed, her tummy exposed for the electrodes stuck all over it and she smiled tiredly at Veronica. "If this is just a close call visit, I really don't look forward to the birth. But really, I'm okay. Have you seen Logan? Is he. . .?"

"A few bruises, handful of stitches, but he's just fine. He's gonna come up as soon as he's discharged and he asked me to wait with you." She took the only chair, near the bed and looked at the baby's heartbeat before looking into Tess' face. "You got lucky today."

Tess just smiled a little, ran her hands gently over her roundness. "Yeah I did, hate to miss out on a kid this great, haven't even gotten to meet her yet." She paused, closed her eyes with a little smile. "She's moving."

Veronica looked up at her and opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't for a moment. Finally mustered, "May I?"

Tess nodded and let her place a hand on the warm skin. "You can't feel anything from the outside yet but sometimes it feels like she reacts." They stayed like that a moment, but nothing happened. Tess sighed. "She stopped."

Veronica withdrew her hands. "You know, I never thought Logan. . .I never would have imagined he'd be so excited to become a father."

The other girl shook her head. "He's not, he's terrified of that, he just loves the kid." They shared a glance before Tess smiled at her. And they were silent as they waited for Logan to get there, just the loud thumping sound of the baby;s heartbeat in the room. Veronica remembered Meg, much further along than this when she'd seen her in the hospital. The look in Duncan's eye that read that he needed to be there and doing the right thing.

Maybe it was a guy thing. Or a rich guy thing. She never did figure it out, but if there was one thing Veronica could be glad for, it was that Logan had knocked up a nice girl like Tess and not a girl like Madison.


	2. Chapter 2

Broken

Chapter Two

-

"SHAWN!" Burton Guster, Shawn Spencer's long-time best friend and "Psych" partner came stomping into the room with his arms crossed over his chest, brow furrowed in a scowl, a tell-tale sign that Shawn had some thing to piss him of. Instantly Shawn's brain loaded five possible things that he had done recently that might cause that expression, and he pulled an innocent little smile as he tilted his head.

"Listen, buddy, I. . ."

"Do you idiots have some sort of deficiency right now that's rendering you unable to answer your phones?!" Both Shawn and Gus looked up as Henry Spencer walked into the office with matching looks of confusion, and both rifled through their pockets to check their phones. Henry waited until they both made their oops faces before he continued. "Shawn, I've been tryin' to call you since yesterday."

"I'm sorry, Dad, I had a date. . ." He was about to throw in a joke when he looked into Henry's face more closely, noticed the twitch of the corner of his mouth, and the pressed line of pink as he pursed his lips. He knew that look, that look was never good. "Dad. . What happened?"

Henry didn't even second guess Gus' presence in the room, the other young man so much a fixed part of his family that he rarely thought of him as anything else. He moved to one of the chairs, passed a hand over his face and rubbed his temples as he considered his words. "Look, kid, there was. .Sort of an accident last night. With your sister."

Shawn was aghast at that. Tess had been born toward the latter part of his parents marriage and she had gone with Madeleine most of the time. He'd started to get to know her in her adult years, as Psych had been growing up from his crazy idea following his first run-in with Chief Vick. As he processed what his father had said, he immediately started to build a wall in case his father was about to inform him that he didn't have a sister anymore. "What um, what kind of accident? Is she ok?"

"She's bumped up but yeah, she's okay. I just got off of the phone with your mother, and, while hysterical she seemed to be. . She seemed relieved."

"Okay." Shawn relaxed visibly and Gus cleared his throat, unsure of how to respond up until this point.

"Uh I, you didn't say, but, is her baby okay?" Shawn threw him a look, his usual I totally was going to ask, look. And Gus gave him a brief glare and tried to smile supportively at Henry, just in case.

"It's okay." The subject was sore for Henry, so he kept his response brief and then cleared his throat, hands fiddling nervously in his lap. "Look I never ask you for anything but. . I don't trust this boyfriend of hers, he's got a record, he's pretty wealthy, who knows if he was trying to get rid of her so he wouldn't have to spend his money on a kid. Who knows? Not like I've gotten to meet the. . ." He took a deep breath and presented Shawn with a folder.

"The sheriff out there is a pretty nice fellow, he gave me everything they knew. Some loony the kid used to date walked out into the road, he swerved to miss her. She's been admitted to the psych ward. His car was wrecked but I assume he has a garage of them so, I guess just. .figure out exactly what was going on. Sheriff Mars' daughter is going to meet up with you. He insisted she represent his own interest in the case. But something tells me she'll be pretty easy to ditch. Just figure it out and get it taken care of out there so that your mother and I will be. . .able to sleep."

Shawn's response surprised Gus to an extent, he was attentively scanning the pages and he just nodded. Said, "Ok." To his father before handing the folder to Gus' and grabbing his friend's car keys. "Looks like we're going to Neptune."

-

"Shawn, will you stop that? We have to meet this girl any minute and you've gotten us lost!"

"Gus, don't be a smelly banana peel. We're not lost, I have simply placed us into an unfamiliar territory of which we are taking advantage of. This is _exploration_!" Shawn sipped the milkshake he had just bought and looked around, noticed a familiar street sign and pulled Gus into that direction. "It's right over here, okay?"

"I don't know why I always listen to you." Gus noticed someone up by the shop they had agreed to meet the Sheriff's daughter at that hadn't been there when Shawn had dragged him off to explore during their free time before the meeting, and he nudged his friend. "You think. .that's her?"

Shawn assessed her, the serious look on her face, the watch on her wrist, her clothes and he just smiled, walked in her direction a little quicker. "Veronica Mars. I cannot begin to tell you how glad I am to meet you." He watched the quirk of her brow, the way she kept her arms crossed over herself as she watched him approach with an outstretched hand, and she watched it as he came near enough to shake with her. So he kept going. "I can see you're in between classes, we can keep this initial meeting brief. My name is Shawn Spencer. I'm a psychic, I work with the Santa Barbara police."

"You're Tess's brother." She said smoothly, finally freed up a hand to shake his. "Veronica, yeah. Uh. That was a really great guess, Mr. Spencer, very impressive. I just don't buy into the psychic crap, but I can't argue with your record, you've solved a lot of very impressive crimes. I'd be happy to work with you, but I don't personally think any sort of conspiracy put your sister into the hospital."

Veronica lead them to a picnic table located in some shade nearby and drew out a folder of photographs she had stopped to take on her way home from the hospital. Logan's SUV still hadn't been towed, with emergency crew's still investigating the site, so everything was pretty much the way it had been, she let Shawn examine them and he couldn't help but notice the car parked on a little fork to the right of everything, walking distance, Veronica was explaining the official accident report to them as he examined it.

"Logan wasn't really paying attention to the road at the moment, he said he and Tess were talking and she saw her first but when he served they hit this uneven hilly area off the side of the road and the momentum of that is what made the SUV flip."

"Of course it is," Shawn agreed, with a surprised look from Gus, which he ignored, eyes still steady on the photograph in hand. "But the girl didn't not know they weren't paying attention, she wanted to walk out in front of that car, she drove all the way there because she knew that intersection was on their way home."

Veronica looked at him with surprise. She didn't think Tess knew much about all of that, much less her brother. And she leaned back in her seat, watching him suspiciously. "It's entirely possible, Parker was Logan's girlfriend a couple of years back, she was never the same after the breakup but I doubt she was waiting to get hit by his car, she just didn't see that he wasn't looking when she was flagging him down for help. Her car wouldn't start."

"Who flags cars down in the middle of a three-lane road?" Shawn asked quietly, and was met with silence. He set the folder down. "What's her condition? Can she talk to anyone?"

"She's declined to talk to anyone but my father. And probably only because he's the law around here." With a swift glance at her watch she half stood. "I really have to get to class. Would you mind if we talked again soon?"

"Not at all, have fun in math." He reached to the pictures. "May I take these with me to read?"

She was surprised again that he had known what class she was heading to, but it could be a relatively simple guess. Math was a part of any college student's life. "Sure, knock yourself out." She bent to grab her messenger and slung it over a shoulder, paused and opened her mouth to speak but then shook her head, bit her tongue and walked in the direction of her Saturn.

Gus looked to Shawn. Then to the photos in his hand. "I don't know, dude, maybe she's right, maybe this chick was just dumb enough to stand in the road to try and get some help. It's not all of that crazy o an idea."

Shawn kept looking at the photo where the car was visible and he shook his head. "It's never that simple, Gus, don't you know by now? It's never that simple."

-

"Thanks, buddy." Logan let Tess out of the cab and made sure she stood firmly on her feet before scooting to slip a fifty into the cabbie's hand. The man looked at the money with wide eyes and then grinned at him.

"No, thank _you_, Mr. Echolls!"

Logan slid from the back seat and took Tess' hand before he led her into the Grand, stopped at the desk for his mail before he led her to the elevators. He kept a firm, protective grip on her hand, watching all around them for anyone that might look suspicious enough to post a threat. Logan had never expected that some day he'd ever be in such a position, but he was. And he's grown to care for Tess and the little monkey swimming around inside of her. His own insecurities be damned. This wasn't about him now.

They were silent in the elevator, and once they got up to the suite, Logan scooped her up just to hear her giggle and carried her to the bedroom to lay her down. "No more time on your feet today." He told her gently, brushing some hair out of her face. "Do it for the fetus. I am your humble slave tonight." He bent to kiss her cheek. "I'm just gonna go check my messages, I'll order pizza and breadsticks, we'll have a no-no night after that hospital garbage, how's that sound?"

She nodded, eyes already closed, poised to nap. "Sounds good. Lots of meat. Pepperoni, sausage. No fishies. I hate the fishies."

"I know." He stood from the room and made the phone call for pizza before dialing the prompt to be connected to his voicemail. He hadn't talked to anyone about the investigation in the hospital, had been calm and focused and supportive of Tess, but right now he needed to know who had caused all of this, so he could start thinking about how to make them pay. Went through a half dozen messages of worried people before he hit it.

"Hey Logan, it's me. Uh, I feel like I should have ignored your message, so don't. . .do what you do. But it was Parker on the road today, she got a little scraped up when she threw herself to the curb, but, she's otherwise okay. They're calling it an accident, she said she was trying to wave you down."

Parker.

Things had never been good with Parker, and Logan hung up the phone with a reflective sigh. She never had sat down to listen to what he had to say. That despite still being in love with Veronica he had cared for her, deeply. And she had started to be maybe a little less cold and bitchy, until the news about Tess and the baby hit.

Logan glanced inside from where he stood on the balcony, looked to where he knew she was asleep. He had never meant for Tess to become what she had. He wasn't sure enough to know he loved her, he wasn't sure he could ever love anyone the way he had loved Veronica. But she was giving him something. . .that was an incomparable gift. Yeah, fatherhood terrified him. He wasn't sure he would be any better of a father than Aaron was, but, it was a chance. A chance to have a family that he could be proud of. A kid, a girl. Maybe a dog and a white picket fence. It wasn't Veronica, but it was better than any notion of family that he had had before her.

Logan hung up the phone and returned in time for the pizza to arrive, moved to set it on a counter and slapped two pieces onto a paper plate. He returned to the bedroom, and slid into the bed next to her, mindful of the bump between them. Logan fed her dainty bites until she awoke to chomp her slice down and then he lay with her in his arms, his chin on top of her head. Thought about the concerned look on Veronica's face and the pathetic thought that even with him in this predicament, she had been willing to do anything for him, even check up on his baby mama.

He knew it was probably wrong to think about her with Tess there, but unfortunately, he didn't care.

That might have been where it all started to go wrong.

-

Shawn sighed as he moved to the filing cabinet near Gus' desk and opened the drawer to fish around and stick the manila folders wherever they seemed to belong. Henry hot on his tail, angry, and well, Henry-ish. "Shawn I told you to go there and find out the truth!"

"Dad, it all checked out. I wanted to find some reason to throw the girl behind bars but it just. . It didn't happen, okay? Tess is okay. The baby's okay. Everyone is sorry and promises to be more careful next time." He shut the drawer in time for his father to nearly reach out and choke him, watched him apprehensively as he wrung his hands.

"Dammit Shawn, you don't even believe it, you're just giving up. I don't know why your sister's welfare isn't as important to you as nabbing art thieves and murderers, maybe it's our faults for raising you two so apart, but this is the biggest mistake you ever made in your life." He grabbed his ball cap from the desk nearby and glared at his son. "And you've made some pretty big mistakes before."


	3. Chapter 3

Broken

Chapter Three

AN- Hey guys, thanks and sorry for making you wait! I've had a hellish few months trying to write.

EDIT: I just went through and saw the breaks I put into the story in Word were not being published into them, I've fixed this chapter but I don't have chapter two to re-upload, I'm sorry for the probably eye damage/confusion!

* * *

Shawn was missing something. That wasn't rocket science, from the moment that Henry had walked in, Shawn knew his father had picked up on something that he had yet to see. Dammit. He hated being tested, especially when it came down to something where he might not have a ton of time to get down to the bottom of the box. But this was one bag of cereal that he had to swallow through as fast as possible. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain it all to Maddie if anything happened to Tess and he knew his already icy relationship with his father would be even worse in that case.

He sat at the table in the Hearst Library, waiting on Veronica to show up as she had promised over the phone a tiny bit over an hour ago. Generally, the fewer people that there were interfering in his work, the easier it was to figure things out and come up with a psychic episode to explain it. Veronica, however, was going to be a necessary asset. And as Shawn poured over the "crime scene" photos for the billionth time, he hoped she would hand him his answers. Something to take back to his concerned father.

She walked in right about on time, and he looked up with a small, tired grimace. Shawn was always well kempt, hair gelled, shirt freshly dry-cleaned (so he could avoid ironing it himself). Stress couldn't stop that. She looked tired, her hair was loose, and brushed, but limp, lacking any real texture. And her clothes screamed lazy day meeting a strange guy in the library, a loose t-shirt and sweatpants.

"Got here as fast as I could," She told him gently as she sat across from him. Her hands immediately went to open her bag, a thick manila envelope appearing as she pulled at it. "I'm studying for a gigantic civics test tomorrow, so…"

"Don't worry about it." Their eyes met briefly, and he could feel her pulling for some opinion to make of him. And that made one side of his mouth turn up in interest. He took the folder when she offered it. "I just need to see whatever my old man saw, it's clearly got him upset."

"I can imagine," Her voice was gentle, but not necessarily convinced. Veronica cleared her throat, nodding to the pile in his hand. "Everything there is in any system on Parker Lee. Not a whole lot, a few parking tickets, the rape case. Of course her psychiatric history is a tad more interesting."

Shawn was already digging into the file, flipping past the evidence photographs to the forms Veronica was beginning to explain. "In 2004 she spent a couple of weeks in a hospital in Denver. Her parents, apparently, felt that she needed to spend that time there because of her reaction to some boy troubles. She never caused herself or anyone any physical harm, however, the doctors put her on anti-depressants because they were concerned that she could resort to some sort of physical violence."

"Meds," Shawn murmured, skimming past. "Is she still on them?"

"She gets them filled on a regular basis, as far as knowing if she still takes them, there's never been enough concern to make her submit to a UA."

"Sorry…but wouldn't you guys. . I mean the sheriff, shouldn't he have tested her when this went down? She had a bad stick with this guy. Then she ends up in the middle of the road while he's driving with his new girlfriend in the car…"

"Look, Shawn, I know it might stink a little but it's not enough to force her to pee in a cup. If she had made a threat or someone had something that said she wanted one of them hurt, then they could look into it but right now, it's just a bad coincidence that turned out okay."

Shawn scanned the copied images of the drug bottle labels, memorizing the doctor's name and the pharmacy, in just enough time for Veronica to gently pry the papers from his hands. "I really hope everything works out for your sister. I think she'll be okay and for now, I have to go cram or I'll lose my financial aid."

Shawn watched her gather her things, observed the tight line that her mouth made, and he sighed. Nodded softly. "Thanks for your time." He got up and shoved his hands into his pockets, turned to look briefly after her as she hurried out, then moved to the corner to pull out his cell phone, and he dialed Gus' number.

"Hey! Buddy! No, no, official business. I need you to tell me about some drugs…"

* * *

After a long evening studying her ass off, Veronica found that she was more and more restless as the night progressed. Okay. The Parker thing really smelled like a forced crash, and she knew that the Spencer guy was under a lot of stress, as an investigator and a family member. All the more reason to try and discourage him from pushing it. She had to hope that that was going to be enough to keep Parker from trying anything else. Assuming she had tried to kill anyone at all.

Still, she remembered Tess and the beat of movement under her hand in the hospital, and it made her palm tingle. Logan's child. Veronica shook her head as the enormity of that hit her. Logan was going to be a father. She sort of guessed, at one point, when Lilly had been alive, that she had expected that to happen. Him to knock up some poor, helpless girl, marry her, live unhappily ever after. Still slightly happier than his parents had been together. But when she saw him she could see the fear, and also, she saw contentment. Tess was easy to love because she let Logan love her as he would like to. Not as she wanted him to.

Veronica swallowed past a lump of some unexplained emotion and got up out of bed. Dressed in pajama pants and a tank top, she grabbed a sweater and just started walking. Found herself, after twenty minutes or so, walking along the parking lot near the beach. The familiar sight of a bonfire was a long way off down on the shore, and there weren't any cars in that lot, save one. One that she didn't recognize. She wished she'd brought Backup, or the taser right about then. Went off a few yards to sit in the grass, looking out at the water.

After a few minutes she heard a car door open and felt herself stiffen all over, praying no one would come over. She prayed, at least, until she heard a familiar voice.

"Whatcha doin' out this late, V'ronica?"

Logan. Dressed in his usual tee and jeans, a cotton button up over the tee, completely unbuttoned and flapping around him in the breeze. If she weren't so tired, she might have made a joke about a Michael Jackson tribute video. She watched as his hair flicked in the wind for a moment before smiling up at him. "I could ask you the same thing, but, then we'd get nowhere. Just out for some air."

Logan nodded, and with a couple steps, he found his way next to her. His smell hit her when he did, warm and sweet, sort of like a dark liquor spilled over a warm body. It took her a moment to shake the thought, and he sighed once he was settled. "Me too."

"Got a lot on your mind?"

His mouth quirked at that. "That's sort of the understatement of the century."

"Mm," Veronica really couldn't imagine what sorts of thoughts that he possessed right now, and she frequently tried not to. Logan's life had veered away from the life they'd known when they were together, it was both difficult to accept and comforting, one of her greatest fears had been that if they hadn't worked out he'd end up alone and destructive. "I get that, but…you're happy?"

Logan smiled, shifting to stretch his legs out. "Yeah, I am. I didn't think I would be. But it's all kind of fallen into place. She's great and for now we just buy stuff and the kid is on the backburner, turned down to low, you know?" Slow cooking while they figured out life and the feelings that had spurred them together to begin with.

Veronica nodded as he spoke, wondering how big Lilly was getting, and how all of the men in her life ended up with kids. "Do you think Parker was there for a reason?"

He frowned, at that, glanced over at her. "I leave that to your expert opinion. Should I be keeping her under glass?"

Veronica wanted to tell him about Tess' brother investigating and his theories, but she didn't see any reason in scaring an already spooked first time father any more than he needed to be, and so, she shook her head. "I think she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Logan watched her and the mix of emotions on her face, looking back out over the sea. He really hoped, for Tess' sake, that she was telling him the truth. But he was tired, and stressed out, and freaking out over something that had happened and was over with was not going to help him, or Tess.

He stood and brushed sand off of his ass, paused in thought, mouth open to speak. Something profound about how far they had come as friends came to mind and he shook his head. "Thanks, Vee. She's having a shower in a couple of weeks. You should come and get your girl on."

He walked away without waiting for an answer, climbing into the Mustang and pulling away after a brief wait, and Veronica sighed, wrapping her arms around her knees. "I'll be sure to pencil that in."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

* * *

[A few weeks later.]

"Uh, hi, one coffee, with cream, please."

"For here or to go?"

"Here." It was eight AM, and there was little that Logan hated more than having to be up at an ungodly hour just to find out his math class had been canceled. He'd showered before heading out, and his hair was still damp and tousled from it. His clothes carefully chosen to suit the dreary weather outside. It was damp, and chilly, now that the fall had set in. Logan was dressed in jeans, and his favorite brown jacket over a plain, grey t-shirt.

The people behind the counter were just putting the lid onto his coffee cup when his phone buzzed in his pocket, prompting him to pull it out and glance down at it. He smiled, and caught the barista's attention. "Hey sorry, can you throw in a raspberry tart, please?"

"Absolutely, Mr. Echolls." She quickly pulled one out of the clear display case in front of him and placed it into a bag, passing the pastry and the coffee across the counter. "$5.75, please."

He paid and took the bag and coffee to sit at one of the tables in the small coffeehouse. The tart was left alone, instead, Logan just picked up the hot beverage to take a sip. Someone had left the morning paper near him on the next chair, and he picked it up, just to see if there were anything inside worth killing some time reading. Flipped through, pausing as he glanced over a classmate's engagement announcement.

"I hope you're not thinking of throwing a bachelor party, I put my foot down at indoor keggers," The voice jerked him from wherever his mind had taken him, and Logan smiled up at her as he folded the paper back up. Stood to lean and kiss her softly, automatically pulling the chair near her out to let her sit.

"Only the outdoor kind, trust me. I'm not big on the fees they charge to have vomit scrubbed out of the rug (at the Grand)." Once she was seated, he took his seat again and slid the little white bag with the baked treat in it over toward her. "How're you feeling?"

"Like I could sleep for an entire week if left undisturbed," Tess eyed the bag he was offering her, a brow quirked curiously. She tried to hold out just watching him but quickly caved and opened the bag to reveal the little tart. "God Bless you, Logan Echolls."

Logan looked up at her with an amused smile on his face. "Well that's something not many people bother saying, I could probably use some good mojo like that, thanks."

She laughed partially at that, licking raspberry from her thumb. "We could all use some good mojo. I'm twelve weeks away from expelling a human from my body."

He winced. "Touche, maybe I shoulda gotten you a donut."

"Eh, it's nice that you're thinking of my health," They shared smirks at that and he sat back against his chair, feet lifting from the ground, one stretching to the chair opposite him, the other wriggling from his flip flop to lift to her lap, toes rubbing her swollen body through her top.

"So what did the doc say?"

"Everything's fine. Good even. Everyone is growing at a healthy rate, there haven't been any spontaneous extra fetuses, so we know for sure naked sex is safe," Another exchange of smirks, this time Logan nearly laughed.

"And did you cave and snoop for any genitalia?"

"I would never!" But her face was telling a whole different story, and his jaw dropped.

"You are so weak! I didn't even ask the doc!"

"Would you like to know?"

"No, surprise, remember? It's supposed to be something they announce when he or she comes out! Then I can call people and surprise them too so don't you go telling anyone!"

By the time he was finished, his finger was raised high in the air mid-wag. Logan stared at it a moment and slowly lowered it. "I. . .wow. I've become my mother."

Tess giggled lightly, pinching off a piece of the pastry. "You haven't mentioned her much." Lifted her eyes, studied the twitch to the corner of his mouth, his sad eyes and instantly regretted saying it, but Logan seemed to be able to read her just as well.

"It's ok, Mom. ..mom was a good mom. She was. When she wasn't blitzed. I learned that word pretty young. She had her clear days and weeks and then my Dad would make her feel like shit and she'd binge." His smile turned wry. "Sometimes I still think she's shacked up on a beach in South America somewhere, y'know? All that personality, there's no way she's just dead."

"That makes sense," She told him earnestly, reaching to pat his hand. "If she is in South America, and not the African Sahara, chances are she'll be able to see the baby online, when it comes."

Logan smiled a little, dimples curving in as he thought about what Lynn's reaction would be. He nodded. "She'd be so thrilled, we'd probably get boxes of designer baby clothes overnight. We'll know they're from her because of the lack of return address."

Tess smiled at that, swallowed a bit of pastry before responding. "Then we have that to look forward to too, right?" Logan didn't answer her right away. He knew better, after Aaron had been killed, to hope for such a thing and be disappointed but Tess' optimism could be so infectious, he just nodded.

"Absolutely. Let's go out, I have a few hours before I have a class. We can do some wild and spontaneous stuff before we have to be calm, cool parents." He stood and offered her his hand and she watched it briefly. Tess did that sometimes, she sat and watched him with a sadness in her eyes that he didn't understand. A sadness that seemed like she knew something that he didn't. It always made something tighten in Logan's gut and now he found himself struggling for something to say. He took her hand for himself and pulled her to her feet. Embraced her tightly, the swell of the Bump rigid against his own body.

And they were quiet and surrounded by the chaos that sometimes caught up with them, almost college grads expecting a very unexpected kid, and Tess would probably throw herself to the lions still, if he asked her to. Tess was easy to love because she let him love her the way he needed to, and at his own pace. That thought frequently crossed his mind when he held her like this, and this morning, he bent his head to kiss the shell of her ear gently. "I love you."

It was only the second time he had had the cajones to tell her and the corners of her mouth lifted instantly, making her eyes twinkle and her face flush with warmth, Logan instantly brightening at her reaction. "Good, good, how about my wild and crazy adventure then?" He lifted her hands to his mouth. "We'll go away for a couple of days, get some rest away from this dump."

She nodded, took a breath before quirking her head. "Well I hope you plan on bringing Dick. You're gonna get bored watching me lay in the sun all day."

He grinned at that. "I do plan to bring dick, just not the one you're suggesting." As he wrapped his arm around her shoulders she tried swatting him away, laughing as he lead her outside.

* * *

"Veronica, is that you?"

"Yeah, hi Dad." Veronica heaved a sigh as she set her things down on a chair near the kitchen island, picking up the mail from the counter to sift through, pausing when she came across an envelope from a testing facility. 'Weird'. She thought, turning it over in her hand to check the seal before she broke it and took the sheet of paper out.

_Dear Miss Mars,_

_On behalf of our mutual friend, Shawn Spencer, we're enclosing the results of a urinalysis test performed last week on a miss Parker Lee. The results list any drugs, legal or otherwise in her system as well as any conditions she may have that would be marked in her urine sample. We hope this information is helpful to you in investigating whatever matter you are looking in to._

_Sincerely,_

_P. Poreign, PhD._

Veronica couldn't fathom where Shawn had gotten a sample of Parker's pee, but the thought made her chuckle lightly before she slid the paper under the other sheet enclosed. 'Let's see what Parker had in her tinkle.'

Proteins normal, no sign of pyuria or hematuria in the urine so both her tract and kidneys were healthy. Small amounts of acetaminophen, and enough tranqs to rule out Shawn's theory of Parker being off her meds. Reading that, Veronica was ready to put the paper down and thank him for sending her a useless form when she spotted it, toward the bottom of the list, but so very clearly there.

HCG: 219,000 mIU/ml.

Veronica took a seat on one of the stools just as Keith was coming down the hall, newly dressed in his civilian threads. He saw the look on Veronica's face and almost immediately reached for the paper in her hand, which she released voluntarily.

"What's this?"

"Tess's brother…"

"Oh," He scanned it. "Says she's on her meds, sweetheart."

"Yeah, yeah it does." She said softly, looking up at Keith. "And it also says that Parker is pregnant. There's enough hCG on there…"

"Ohhh," Keith handed the paper back. "Do you think maybe…Logan?"

She shook her head. "Logan's afraid of Parker and he's been with Tess for the past seven months, he'd never fool around on her and jeopardize his future with the baby." She was quiet a moment, looked at him. "Dad, I know it's Logan but he's really crazy about her. It makes it pretty hard to just hate her."

Keith listened, gently rubbed her shoulder with his palm. "Sounds like something that should be looked in to, do you think Parker would talk to you about it?"

"I really hope so, I don't think she'll talk to you first," Veronica stood, picking her bag back up. "I'll try to be home in the next couple of hours." She said, moving to kiss his cheek. "I'll keep you updated."

"I know you will, honey."

* * *

Veronica had knocked on the door twice before it opened and Parker, donning reading glasses and a scrunchie answered, raising her eyes from the textbook in her hands to look at Veronica. Her smile was worn, but polite. A lot friendlier than it had ever been when She had just broken up with Logan. "Hi, come on in."

"Uh, thanks." Veronica walked awkwardly into the room, one hand holding the strap of her bag, her eyes moving around for any booby traps or hidden persons.

"What can I do for ya, Veronica?" Parker set the book on her bed and took the glasses off, that creepily sweet smile ever present on her nearly lip-sticked lips.

Veronica didn't want to beat around the bush with the 'how are you's', pulled the paper from her bag to hand it to Logan's old flame. "Parker, I know…I have my share of explaining to do but, I hope you can explain what this paper says."

Parker frowned as she looked it over, shrugged as she lifted her head. "It says a lot of things…What am I explaining?"

"Your hCG, it's what they test for to find out if you're pregnant."

"Ah." She paused a moment as she read the paper through and then passed it to Veronica. "Well, that's an easy answer then, Vee. Because I am pregnant. Logan and I are going to have a baby."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

* * *

[Where we left off.]

Veronica nearly had to sit as those words came out of Parker's mouth. Parker's face was lit with a brighter smile, calm, she didn't look like she was kidding. Veronica couldn't find words, dropped her gaze with an amazed, shocked smile. In the corner of the room, Parker's stereo was playing a CD.

_Fellows will fall in line,_

_Eager young lads and roues and cads_

_Will offer you food and wine!_

_Totally unprepared are you to face a world of men_

_Timid and shy and scared are you, of things beyond your ken!_

_You need someone older and wiser telling you what to do_

_I am seventeen, going on eighteen, I'll take care of you._

"I know, big surprise, right?" Parker moved to the back of her dorm, picking up a mug full of warm tea, took a moment to stir the bag before she took a sip. "It just sort of happened, really. We bumped into one another at Wallace's party in August…"

Veronica had been there, with Piz. Tess had not been there due to morning sickness, according to Logan. Veronica couldn't remember whether or not Parker had attended.

"And I guess just old feelings and a little booze..and we made a baby." Veronica stared at her incredulously, because finally she had grown to truly believe that Logan had gotten his act together. Had fallen in love and started a family and left his old ways at the curb. And now here Parker was telling a completely different story. And if she weren't on her meds and she weren't so calm and capable of keeping eye contact, Veronica might have just spat out that she had to be a liar.

But it was too much, and Veronica's head was spinning as if she had spent the entire afternoon drinking. She simply turned and stumbled from the room. Made it down the hall and out the entrance of the dorms. Her stomach hurt, and she almost felt sad. Downright depressed. Veronica didn't know Tess very well, had kept her distance, but she didn't want it to be true for her sake, every time she thought about her she remembered feeling Logan's baby fluttering around under her palm.

She stopped outside of the building briefly to catch her breath and clear her head. Okay, Veronica. So Logan's ex girlfriend, who incidentally has a history of mental instability just told you she was expecting Logan's prodigy, when Logan is just a couple of months away from greeting a prodigy with a really nice girl whose family is really concerned about her. Do you call her brother and share that information, or do you keep it to yourself?

If it were true, Tess was going to need her family to get her through the repercussions of that.

With a few more deep breaths, Veronica pulled her phone from her pocket and queued up Shawn's phone number. Hit the call button and listened as it rang. Once, twice….

"Veronica Mars! Did you get my care package today!"

"Uh," Another deep breath. "Yeah, yeah I did. I gotta make a few calls but I think we should meet up, how soon can you get down to Neptune?"

* * *

[Twenty minutes later.]

"Hello?"

"Wallace!" Veronica adjusted the phone on it's holder in her Saturn. "Never been happier to get a hold of you, I have a question."

"Okay," Wallace's voice was clear, but concerned, Veronica smiled softly at his patience.

"Your party this past summer, did you see Parker there?"

"Uh, yeah. For a little bit, I did." He kept it short, and that worried Veronica more.

"But?"

Wallace sighed, and she could just see him rubbing his temple. "Well she left, kind of early. With Logan."

* * *

[Ten minutes later.]

Veronica had to wince at the laughter when Logan answered his phone, her hands unsteady on the wheel of her Saturn. "Hi, yeah?"

"I have couple of questions, I need you to answer them quickly and thoroughly."

"Uh, okay." She heard him say quietly away from the phone. "I'll be right back, okay? It's Veronica." Logan's feet sounded on smooth flooring before his footsteps disappeared into carpet. He lifted the phone up. "What's going on?"

"Shawn, somehow, managed to get a sample of Parker's urine. Some interesting things showed in her test so I have to ask you, did you see her at Wallace's senior year whoohoo party?"

Logan seemed uncomfortably quiet, and she waited patiently until she heard his voice reply. "I mean, yeah, I saw her, and she was totally wasted…"

"So you took her home and had sex with her?"

Logan was completely silent on the other end, and Veronica checked her phone's screen to see that the call hadn't been dropped, her stomach twisting into a knot. "Logan, I thought.. you said you were happy. So you took your crazy ex for a wild ride?"

"I didn't have sex with her, Veronica, I love Tess. I knew that back in August."

"Then why is she pregnant, Logan?"

She could almost hear that question shattering over his head, and he stuttered. "Wh-what do you mean, pregnant? If she's pregnant I had nothing to do with it, I've been with Tess since last spring and I've never been a cheater…"

"You've always been a cheater…"

"_Never_!" The intensity almost knocked her further back into the seat of her car. "Never, I kissed Lilly's friend, but I didn't have sex with her and Madison and I had sex after we had broken up. I'm not a cheater, not on you, not on Lilly, not on Parker, and not on Tess. Don't call me pointing the finger based on what some psychotic bitch has to say about me, I have bigger fish to fry."

The dial tone was deep, and almost cleansing, and Veronica wasn't sure who to believe when she ended the call, pointing her car in the direction of her rendezvous with Shawn.

* * *

Little did she know, Shawn was a tiny bit ahead of her. He had some surveillance from Wallace's dorm hall all the way out into the parking lot to Logan's car and finally throughout the Grand. And he was less than happy with what it detailed but he hoped at the same time that perhaps there was an explanation behind it.

One that wouldn't send Henry after the kid.

He arrived at the place Veronica had asked him to meet her at, with a laptop bag, borrowed discretely from Gus. Veronica was seated at a table with her own laptop, her eyes moving up to him when he drew near, he spoke before she could get a chance, "Spirits tell me you followed the path I set for you and you know Parker and Logan slept together a couple of months ago."

Veronica immediately slipped past the suggestion that spirits were speaking to him and got right down to business. "I don't know that, Logan said they didn't."

"Yeah well, check your email." Veronica glanced at the screen and typed to get to her inbox as he sat and prepared his equipment. "She comes, they leave, they end up at his hotel room."

Oh boy, that really didn't look good. Veronica played the mixed footage two or three times before she sighed. "That'd mean he lied right to me. I called him on it and he said nothing happened." Veronica stared at the image of Logan and Parker walking into the Grand lobby in slow motion, wondering what had gone on that night that had changed or maybe started the good direction he had headed off into.

He met her at the party, he took her back to the Grand where his room was. His room where Tess was sick as a dog in the bathroom? She looked up at Shawn. "It's not possible," She pointed to the screen. "The night of this party Tess didn't go because she didn't feel well, but she was living with Logan in the Grand by then."

Shawn frowned as his theory crumbled in front of him. "I mean, maybe they got a separate room then?"

"In the hotel his pregnant girlfriend was in? He would have taken her to the Four Seasons if he wanted to screw her that badly."

He didn't have an answer for that, so he came up with the next best thing. Pressed his fingers into his temples and looked at her. "I sense…we must go to the Grand and find out why they were there that night, then."

* * *

It wasn't very late yet. Logan marked the time by the quietness of the room below him, everyone went to bed by 11, but were partying well past 9:30, every night, like clockwork. He could still hear the clanking of glasses and the dull voices coming from a radio. Occasionally laughter would sound as well, and he sighed as he lay in bed. Tess was curled into his side with her head on his chest and his fingers ran absentmindedly through her hair.

The phone call with Veronica had him in edge. He was so pissed off that she would think for a second that he would do anything that would hurt Tess, and possibly his relationship with what was now the only blood he had in the world. _Assuming Lynn isn't really knitting blankets in South America._ The thought made him smile past the sting of anger and he looked down at Tess. So innocent and different from what had always been his life in Neptune. Logan did something stupid, Logan hates his life, everyone is angry at Logan. With her she loved and trusted him, and she was giving him something both terrifying and thrilling at once.

And despite the ache in his heart when he smelled _Promises_ and the stab of pain that had come with her accusation when all he had ever done as anyone's boyfriend was love his significant other, there was a sense of finality in putting that part of his past behind him. Tess smelled like citrus, she didn't have the perfect sea blue eyes most rich guys loved in a girl, her hair was wild and red, and reminded him of Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman".

He bent slightly to drop kisses down her face. Smiled at the noises she made as he woke her, made her scrunch herself up in an attempt to hide her base skin from his devilish mouth. "Whaaaaaat."

"What, did I steal you away from your reverie?" They met one another with amused expressions and Logan laughed first, dipping to steal a soft kiss. "Hey, Tess, do you trust me?"

"I try not to but then you smile like a raccoon caught in the trash, and I can't help it."

He grinned down at her, liking the thought of himself as a filthy raccoon getting what he wanted. He brushed some hair from her face. "Get up, pack a bag. Let's go to Hawaii."

"You're crazy."

"So I hear, but I'm nuts about this girl, she's having my kid and I'm just dying to sweep her away to tropical paradise, we'll spend the remainder of her gestation period there, and I was thinking," Her attention was completely his, and he grinned at her face. "I was thinking tomorrow at sunrise…we could leave a giant story for Grandma Echolls down in South America to wake up to."

* * *

Veronica was uneasy walking into the quad the next morning. All she and Shawn had dug up in the records at the Grand were that Parker had gotten a room in her name on the night in question. Logan easily could have humped her brains out, too drunk to think to use a condom before returning to cuddle Tess in the Penthouse suite upstairs.

And that just didn't seem much like Logan. Even when he had accidentally procreated with Tess, they'd been dating semi-seriously. Logan never forgot his armor before he went into battle with a woman he didn't plan to wake up to the next morning, he'd never forgotten it when he had been seriously dating Veronica. Then again with the promise of Keith castrating him had she gotten pregnant, she could see why.

Parker was, as luck would have it, sitting near the building with a book in her lap. Veronica recognized it pretty quickly, and she felt a little queasy, suddenly. _What to expect when you're expecting. Still, she managed a weak smile and walked over, ducking down next to her. "Hi."_

_Parker glanced up at her. "Oh, hi! I wasn't sure…"_

"_Sorry I bailed like I did I was just so surprised…but I'm happy for you." So long as I can choke back a little vomit at the idea. "And I know with Logan being otherwise occupied this must be really tough for you and all so, I mean, if you need someone to be moral support or just to come with you to your ultrasounds and stuff, I wanted you to know I'm here."_

_Parker broke into a beaming smile and she touched her friend's arm. "Thank you, Veronica. I'd appreciate that." She closed the book over a bookmark. "Logan won't be gone forever but he can't just ditch Tess, he wants to be a part of his baby's life and all. I hear she's super nice."_

"_I've only met her a few times, but she's always been nice to me."_

"_Good," Parker paused. "I have an ultrasound next week, actually, my first, think you can come to that?"_

"_I absolutely will work my schedule around it, just leave me a voicemail with the details…"_

"_Veronica!" Uh oh. That voice. Veronica half turned and spotted Piz walking over, a sheet of paper in his hand. "Hey Veronica you'll never believe what we just got faxed to announce over the air," He hurried to her side and noticed Parker, and waved meekly. She stood to look at it as he showed it to Veronica._

_It was a brief Reuters blotter printed off of a computer, the headline reading in big, bold letters, "LOGAN ECHOLLS SECRETLY WEDS GIRLFRIEND ON OAHU." It went on to say that it had happened that morning on the beach, and that Tess was due to give birth to their first child in two months. Included toward the bottom was a photo, Logan in a nice shirt, and jeans, and Tess in a simple white dress, him bent down as they kissed._

_Veronica, inwardly, was relieved, to a degree. Hoping it had been something he had planned before she had accused him of knocking Parker up to. Parker's face was blank, and she quietly excused herself before hurrying into class. Veronica thanked Piz for showing her the article, and then hurried to get in touch with Shawn to tell him their plan had gone into effect._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

[AN- Regarding the pairing storywise, I did say that I do intend for this story to end LoVe, but it isn't something I want to rush forward in to. At this point in their lives they do love one another, but it's been three years since canon, and they're at a point in life where they don't need to be together. It's not my ignoring them as a pair, and trust me, the story is being meticulously set up for them, it just might take a little bit. Try to follow all of the clues for now, Veronica will have a huge case to solve soon. I really do appreciate feedback and even ConCrit, I have adjusted Veronica a bit to take in the wedding differently and done a few things on Logan's part too.]

* * *

[Some days later.]

Parker's ultrasound had been scheduled for a Tuesday. Which gave Veronica a few days to lay in bed with her CD player on, listening to sad music while she read the short clipping over and over. The last time she had talked to Logan before he had eloped was when she had accused him of cheating on his new bride. And it stung a little, to think he may have done it as a sort of punishment to her. You were mean so I'm going to claim happily ever after with this other person.

Not that Veronica _wanted_ happily ever after with him. The thought made her nearly cross her arms and scoff. Logan was not and had never been a happily ever after kind of guy and Veronica just felt sorry for any girl who thought he was. That was the ticket. Shake it off and get back into character, Veronica, this ultrasound lays out plans for the long run.

Tuesday she was up early, made breakfast for Keith to wake up to before she headed out to pick Parker up at her dorm and drive to the OBGYN Parker had made an appointment with. Veronica of course waited during the more intimate stuff, but was called in just as the technician was beginning.

"With the level of hCG in your urine sample, we should be able to do a trans-abdominal ultrasound, you're probably well into your second month, if not your third." Veronica sat by Parker's side as they started to swirl the transducer across her belly and both girls watched the screen with bated breath. The tech swirled and swirled and waited and clicked her manicured nails on a keyboard attached to the machine.

Nada. The round, blackness was empty.

"Uh, sorry, how deep in there do they tend to go?" Veronica asked quietly, looking from the screen to Parker's face. "Could the tests have been wrong?"

The tech shook her head. "Presence of hCG in urine at the levels we've found it can't be accidental, the lack of fetus in the uterus strongly points to an ectopic pregnancy." She started to move the high tech equipment further up Parker's abdomen, clicking on the keyboard some more before she stopped as the image they had waited for came up on the screen.

Parker made a noise of relief. "Oh thank God, I was so worried!" Her hand covered her mouth, eyes glassing up. "Oh, hi there!"

But Veronica knew what the tech knew, and she calmly took Parker's hand. "Parker, hey, listen, the baby…it's not where it's supposed to be, do you know what I mean? The baby didn't go to the uterus when you. . .when it…it's in the wrong place, Parker."

Parker looked at her, her face quickly awash in horror. "But it's. . .it's alive. I see it. Right there, mine and Logan's baby."

"The doctor will be in shortly." The tech said softly. "To discuss your options."

Parker looked panicked, and Veronica quickly took her hand. She wasn't the most stable person on the planet, sure, but she'd been her friend, and this was a terrible thing to have to go through. Despite her previous intentions, she was glad she didn't have to do it alone.

It only took a few minutes for the doctor to come in as they had been told, he was an older man, looked very sad as he walked in. He and Veronica shared quiet smiles. "Miss Lee? I'm Doctor Forder."

Parker wiped at her eyes. "They said the baby isn't in the right place. You can move it, right?"

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple, Miss Lee." He sat to start the ultrasound back up and look at where the baby was positioned. "Ectopic pregnancies have ended in deliveries by laparatomy but, generally, the majority don't. It seems your baby is positioned in one of your fallopian tubes, this is very common. If your pregnancy should not progress normally, the tube could burst and it could be very dangerous to your health."

Parker looked so deflated and Veronica hated that she felt so badly for her. "So what do I do?"

"You've got a couple of options. You can take a little pill and the fetus will stop growing and probably pass in a period or, surgery. It's good to try the pill before resorting to the surgery, just to be safe."

Parker didn't say anything in response. She nodded quietly, her hand clutching Veronica's as she signed the form to consent to the doctors giving her the abortion drug.

* * *

The next few days went on pretty much without incident. After about a week Parker returned to her normal class schedule, and Veronica didn't really have the heart to stalk her anymore. Shawn hadn't disagreed over the phone, so it was back to old business.

Despite his original plans, Logan and Tess returned to Neptune in early October, with plans to hopefully sneak back into Hawaii for the birth of their joyful addition. Veronica was so wrapped up in class that she always seemed to miss either or both of them to pass on her semi-heartfelt congrats, still unsure about Logan's innocence as far as Parker's pregnancy went. The marriage seemed like a hasty escape from what could be guilt, a good way to keep Tess away from any bad rumors.

Coming out of a two hour lecture on modern psychology and it's application towards teens, Veronica finally got her chance, spotting Logan nearby with a textbook, filling in answers to the homework he'd missed in Hawaii, a plain, shiny gold ring affixed to his ring finger. Watching him, he seemed serene. Calm and de-stressed, a little more golden than he had been when he had left California.

Gathering herself together, Veronica approached. It took about twenty steps to be close enough to chat with him, Logan noticed her approaching after fifteen, and smiled with annoyance as he shut his book over the loose leaf he had been writing on. "Now if you're here to accuse me of fathering your love child too, I'll have to direct you to the hotline that I set up. It's an automated system, just submit your claim to the machine and hope it gets your facts right."

Veronica smiled wryly. "I'll call after class, I don't need my phone being taken away," She leaned against the wall, holding her books to her chest. "Been to any good weddings lately?"

"As a matter of fact, I went to one about two weeks ago. It was nice, very small. I just can't figure out why I have this ball and chain attached now?" Wiggled his hand, string at it as if an imaginary chain were jingling when he did.

Veronica sighed. "So, bygones?"

Logan leaned into the wall as well, his gaze on her face as he tried to read whatever was on her mind. "I saw Parker at the party and I took her to the Grand to get her a room so she wouldn't end up getting hurt on campus." His voice grew quieter and he looked around. "I shouldn't have been driving either, but I was all gentleman-ly. I went to put her to bed…I guess I passed out doing so, cuz I woke up in the room a few hours later but I went right up to my room to cuddle up with Tess."

Veronica watched him, a question ringing in her eyes. He sighed. "If anything happened in those hours, I was not conscious to partake, and I wouldn't have wanted to, but I woke up with my pants on so my best guess is if Parker had wanted me for her own nefarious reasons, she was too liquored up to pull it off too."

He looked up past her and his face lifted in a smile. Logan stepped from the little nook they'd been speaking in, as Veronica tried to get a grip on what he had said. When she felt like she had, she looked over to see him, as he bent to kiss Tess' forehead. Veronica watched, remembering times forgotten long ago from when he'd come to see her the summer she worked at Java the Hut, and she sighed, managed a smile as she walked over.

Logan looked at her as she did and he smiled down at Tess. "So Veronica was just asking what kind of wedding gift she should pick up, but she seems to think you'd really be opposed to the pierced strippers."

Veronica shot him a glare, and Tess answered. "Not opposed, if at least one of was male and a certain appendage were the pieced culprit."

And both girls laughed as Logan pinkened, pinching Tess' upper arm playfully. "She's a hoot, I'll have to avoid piercing parlors whenever she gets me shit faced from now on."

"I'll get you in one, just wait," Tess looked at Veronica with a smile as Logan crossed the hall to get a drink from the fountain. "Thanks for supporting him..us. I get that this has to suck."

Veronica shook her head. "I'm just amazed he took the dive, but I'm happy for you guys, you're already well loved around here."

As Logan wiped his mouth and started to walk back over, Tess dug a little sheet from her bag. "I'm throwing a completely occasion free party on Friday. The not so pregnant of you will have wine and we'll all eat chocolate and enjoy men-free hours while Dick throws Logan's belated bachelor party. I'd love to have you there, bring some friends."

Veronica didn't know what it was about Logan's love interest and inviting her to their parties, but without Logan there, and as lot of reinforcement, she considered the idea. Maybe even this would be really good for Parker too. "I might actually do that, thanks, Tess."

"Ah, I see we're all playing nice. I like that very much," Logan slung his arm around Tess' shoulders. "See you around,V. Thanks for the congrats."

They walked off before Veronica could really answer, and she watched, uttering a meek 'welcome' before turning off to get Mac and Parker to agree to go to the party with her and save her ass.

* * *

"Dad, c'mon!"

"What do you want me to say, huh? I don't have _room_ for all of this in the house, her old room and the basement are full and you have all this unused space here in the office. You're going to have to stuck it up."

Henry shoved past Shawn with a pile of wedding gifts from friends and family and random locals who had read that Tess was from Santa Barbara and Shawn sighed in defeat, plopping into his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. "This SUCKS. It's a pile of girliness in my man-cave!"

"Tough luck, it's your sister's happiness over your manliness." Henry set the pile in a corner, turned to him with a tired sigh. "So what's the verdict on the Lee girl?"

"Veronica said she ended up having to abort, ectoplasm pregnancy or something like that," He shrugged. "The reign of terror seems to have ended, I'd rather not out the possible affair to Tess, she's all delicate and wobbly."

"Last thing she'll need is to end up in early labor," Henry agreed with a nod. "Well, I really hope for his sake that he behaved. Or else I'll be driving to Neptune with my shotgun. What's Gus up to?"

"Jerk Chicken run, whaaaat?" Shawn stood and walked to tap a box with his foot. Bent to pick it up and shake it, listened inside.

"Well, tell him I said hello and Shawn," His son looked at him innocently. "Don't go opening your sister's stuff, her girlfriends might have sent her a mechanical husband."

Shawn all but dropped the box to the ground, running into the bathroom to wash his hands. The water from the sink drowning out the sound of his iPhone in the next room.

A voicemail was left.

"_Mr. Spencer, this is Norman Mallard from West Coast Labs, I have those DNA results you needed rushed, give me a ring back in the next 24 hours, 555-0112. Thanks."_


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

* * *

[October 3rd, 2009.]

Between Logan and Tess's return to Neptune and Tess's sort of bachelorette party, there was only one day that Veronica and Logan had to get through to know they could face the rest of the week. October 3rd, the sixth anniversary of Lilly's death. A service was scheduled at her gravesite, as well as by the Neptune High fountain that morning, and since she had graduated such a long time ago, Veronica opted to just go to the one at the cemetery. Dressed in a black skirt and top, modest heels before driving the Saturn out that way.

When she arrived, about ten minutes before it was set to start there were a couple of dozen people there already, including Logan, sans Tess. That was a rare sight, and so, Veronica made her way over to stand near him and when she approached, he smiled solemnly at her. "Ah, I wasn't sure if you were coming."

"Neither was I," She responded softly, accepting a gentle hug from him. Across the small crowd that was encircling Lilly's beautiful monument, there was Celeste. Dressed up like quite the grieving mother, a veil over her face and all. Veronica briefly snorted, but otherwise just dropped her eyes to the black marble stone. It was large, a standing stone that covered room for four graves, Lilly's name was toward the middle, and when they were all dead and gone, Duncan, would go right next to her and Jake and Celeste on either sides. In the middle of the oddly shaped monument was a stone angel, carved and added after the rest was finished. A stone fit for a girl like her.

Veronica smiled at that thought and looked to Logan. "I haven't seen you in a monkey suit in a long, long time."

Logan smiled wryly, adjusted his emerald colored tie. "I was going to come in the tux I wore to that last homecoming but I couldn't find it in Aaron's stuff." His voice was soft, Veronica realized he always sounded most respectful when he was close to Lilly.

The ceremony came and went. Celeste gave a speech with dry eyes and a tearful voice. Jake had showed briefly and decided not to make a fuss with speaking, clearly angering his ex-wife quite a bit. Logan and Veronica were left when everyone else wasn't, and they quietly spent a moment with Lilly, wishing together that Duncan were there to complete their little circle.

Looking up at her, Logan offered her a gentle smile and placed his hand on the small of her back to lead her to her car. They were across the cemetery lawn and a few feet away when they spotted a strange person watching from a car shortly up the road. Logan went into defense mode before Veronica could think and she darted after him. Logan quickly grabbed the man by his jacket to toss him against the car. "What the hell is your issue, asshole?"

"Woah, woah," Veronica reached them just as the man removed his glasses, offering a familiar smirk, quirking his familiar blue eyes. "Easy there, bro, this is Italian leather." And she almost fell back on her ass as she stared Duncan Kane in the face, exchanging quick, shocked glanced with Logan.

* * *

Veronica watched, her head balanced on her hand as Duncan swept a fry through his milkshake, and popped it into his mouth. He looked good, he was tanned and lean and he looked like he was in a good place in life. His eyes would move to each of his friends, not even flinching when he noticed Veronica watching him eat. And she was embarrassed to admit there was something that was still sexy about. . .

"Veronica, could you please stop eye-fucking him? I can barely eat my own food." Logan grumbled, eying Duncan with annoyance as his own friend laughed. Logan took a bite of his double cheeseburger and chewed before delicately displaying the contents of his mouth, making Duncan laugh even more.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "So…you haven't mentioned…why you're here."

"Lilly's anniversary," Duncan answered nonchalantly, chewing his own burger before taking a sip of his shake. "And I'm moving back, now that Mr. and Mrs. Manning dropped dead and the case against me is defunct."

Logan and Veronica 'hmmed' in understanding and Duncan looked at them with a watchful expression, shook his head before delving back into his fries. "So what have you kids been up to?" When he asked, Duncan expected an answer like blissfully bickering through a marriage or newly engaged at the least. Although he did note the lack of ring on Veronica's hand in comparison to Logan's.

Before Logan could answer for himself (his mouth open, again displaying half chewed sandwich), Veronica cut in with her empty mouth, her chicken sandwich waiting to be bitten again. "I'm a recluse doing the same old thing, Logan on the other hand is pregnant."

The men both stopped eating to look at each other, and promptly burst into laughter. As Logan sunk halfway down under the table, holding his guts, Veronica pushed past an annoyed grimace and corrected herself. "By proxy."

"That is _awesome_!" Logan cackled, coming back up from under the table with his suit jacket closed over Veronica's purse, giving the look of a burgeoning belly, albeit, a lumpy one. She quickly took the bag back and smacked him with it.

Between laughs, Duncan managed. "So when are you due, V?"

And Logan's laughter immediately ceased, his hand making an appearance so he could point over at her. "Dude, she's not the father. Or the mother, I'm the father and I got a missus now. We're due Christmas week."

Duncan was taken aback and quickly found his footing, dipping two fries in his shake, eating them, and then he smiled at Logan. "Sorry I had no idea you. . .were hitched. Congrats, man. December's not too far away."

"It's far enough for me not to have a hernia," Logan responded under a muffled breath. Veronica took a bite of her sandwich. Boy, if Duncan knew the half of the past four years since he'd left with. . .

"Hey," She finally found a worthy thing to contribute to the conversation. "Where's Lilly?"

"With the nanny, I didn't want her first stop in Neptune to be at her Aunt's grave." He said, smiling suddenly. "She's so much like her, and she looks so much like Meg, you'd really get a kick out of her."

"We'll have to meet her, soon." Logan chimed in, his friends looked at him strangely before they went back to their food and he looked up as a figure approached the table, freed a hand, wiping the grease from it on a napkin. "Well look who the cat dragged out of the bag!"

"Sup, friends?" Veronica quirked a brow as Shawn Spencer scooted into the empty side of the booth next to Duncan, he and Logan exchanged high fives. "If it's not my brother from another mother."

"Duncan, this is my brother in law, Shawn. Shawn, Duncan Kane."

Gus had approached right behind him and he looked at Duncan. "Like, Kane as in Kane software?"

"My dad's company," Duncan confirmed with a friendly little smile.

"Our inventory system uses a catalog designed for us by his company. Kudos."

"I'll pass those on, uh…."

"Gus is a little bit of a dork when it comes to everything," Logan remarked with a smirk. "But don't underestimate his partying abilities. Which reminds me, I'm having a belated bachelor party this Friday dude, you should come."

"Wouldn't miss it!"

Shawn fixed his gaze on Veronica. "Hey, you got like, five minutes?"

"I guess," She said, wiping her mouth. "I'll be right back," she smacked Logan's hand as it moved to snake a fry. "You're not hard up for money, don't steal my food!" He laughed and went on to chat with Duncan and Gus as Veronica and Shawn exited the table. He lead her outside the front doors.

"Red Robin, huh? One of my personal favorites."

"Yeah," Veronica crossed her arms defensively. "What's this about?"

"Uh," Shawn dug in his pocket for his phone, and dug through his voicemail. "It's about Parker's dead fetus."

"Shawn!"

"Sorry but, you want to hear this." He got the message up and stuck his phone by Veronica's ear.

"_Got your message Mr. Spencer, I'm more than happy to read the results so you can record them, just don't tell my boss, please. Based on the hair follicles and uh, other things you gave us we conclusively could match paternity of Logan Echolls with the fetus in question."_

As soon as the words were out Veronica turned her head to look in on Logan, sitting in the booth through the glass window, laughing. Logan hadn't suspected anything could have happened with Parker when he was passed out. It looked like he was really wrong.

"How accurate are those results?"

"They did what they could with what they had but they guaranteed me 85-50%."

"Thanks, I'll look into it…he should know, just, not today."

"Yeah I'm sorry…about your friend."

"It was a long time ago." She said quietly, her gaze had dropped, and suddenly her hands were twisting. She looked up at him, and he was framed in sunlight, his brow furrowed. He looked at her and smiled, and Veronica felt her belly twist a little.

"I should be the one to tell Tess, so she doesn't get the wrong idea, but not before she sees Parker at her party."

"Then I'll wait until after it to tell Logan." She suddenly realized that they had mutually stepped forward, and Shawn was bending. Before she could think of how wrong it was, he had stooped low enough to kiss her, his lips gentle but. . .nice. It had been a while since she had had that with anyone.

"Uh."

"Yeah."

"I should go get Gus, um. I'll call you?"

"Great." She replied with a bright smile. Logan's laughing face and Duncan's sexy mouth forgotten for then, just then. Today was the last hard day before the party that Veronica had had to survive. She felt like she hadn't done a bad job of it.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

* * *

Friday night was party night, at least technically, it was. Veronica had Mac and Parker carpooling with her, so all three had arrived at once, and greeted Logan's sweet little bride. Veronica was surprised at Parker's calm, kind gestures and tone of voice. Had expected her to have a harder time after the abrupt end of her pregnancy, especially since Tess was also carrying Logan's child. But the tall blonde was almost charming, and that eased a lot of Veronica's tension. By the end of the first hour she found herself kicked back on the couch in the suite with a beer, remembering all the many times she and Logan had done this together.

After that train of thought was kicked, she went and got cake and chips and tried to mingle with people other than Parker and Mac (which was surprisingly difficult, considering she didn't even KNOW Tess' friends). Time ticked by, and the next time she looked at her watch, it was 8:15, about 15 minutes shy of her pre-planned time to leave. Tess had hunkered down on the couch nearby and some of the girls, including Parker, were bent over her pressing their palms to her belly, waiting to feel the baby kick, making amazed faces whenever they did.

Her mind, however, was focused on leaving, and she got up to dump her drink in the kitchen area, returning with freshly washed hands and a new resolve, only to see Tess' brother standing in the living area with his hands in his pocket and his eyes crinkled happily as Tess told him about Hawaii, and Veronica found herself standing in the doorway, watching them interact with a smile, suddenly. She hadn't ever known that sibling camaraderie, and it was always such a wonderful thing to watch a pair that didn't hate one another chat.

Soon Tess was shoved to her feet (with some help) and hurrying to the kitchen, and Shawn turned his head as she neared her new friend. Veronica smiled and playfully stepped wide of the doorway, making Tess laugh. "Thanks for the confidence boost!"

"Go on, play coy, Miss MILF." She retorted before walking over to Shawn, his own steps leading him halfway to her, and suddenly there were butterflies and they were both looking at the ground with grins painted on their faces.

"I uh, figured I'd stop over. I managed not to get completely smashed…"

"At a Logan party, that's a big deal." Her hand found his, and her fingers danced across the back of it. "What. . ."

"Is this?"

They laughed together, Veronica sighed. "Yeah, I don't mean to sound cliché, but…"

"This is a little scary fast." Shawn ended once again, and Veronica was amazed at how well he had caught her thoughts, maybe there was some twisted truth to the psychic thing, although she still didn't believe in the mystical magic voodoo aspects.

"I'm not complaining, I just want to do this right, I have a bad track record and I figure maybe I just didn't try hard enough all those times."

Shawn was quiet, a notorious womanizer with some lack of people skills might laugh her off, but something struck a chord. He understood her, he couldn't say that about a lot of women. He wet his lips before telling her softly. "Well, maybe you inadvertently tried too hard."

A throat clearing jarred them from their blissful wonderland, and they looked to Tess, grinning with her eyebrow raised and a frozen pineapple in her arms. She winked at Veronica, who blushed, and then she tossed the fruit to her brother. "Get this, 100% Hawaiian. Paid a pretty penny to get it here intact, so thank your brother-in-law when you see him again."

Shawn's face was lit up like a Christmas tree. "I feel so LOVED!"

The girls exchanged funny little glances before bursting into laughter, and Veronica lead Shawn, and his pineapple, out to the cars., before returning to say goodbye to Tess and drag Mac and Parker, both jabbering about having felt the baby.

* * *

Logan had wrapped the party up early, wanting to avoid an abundance of throw up and drunken antics. Sure, the partier in him told him fuck it, the point of this night is to NOT be responsible, but a larger part of him was a happily newlywed who just wanted to go curl up with his wife in bed. Sober enough to drive (and not get caught and breathalized), he'd driven home and parked a few floors lower in the garage than usual. He was just out of his Xterra and heading for the stairs when he caught sight of Veronica in the garage.

"Hey hey," At his call, her head snapped up and she gave him a small smile, and Logan noted she looked a little bit uneasy. He approached, but froze a little when he saw Parker catch up to her. Parker noticed him too and grew silent. Dropped her gaze completely, and Logan pushed past a wave of anger. Tess was too nearby for him to get into it with her right then. "How was it?"

"Not bad, actually kind of nice," Veronica's voice had that 'let's all get along' tone to it, and Mac appeared with a giant smile.

"Hey, you!"

"Hey!" They hugged, and lingered a moment longer than they would have if Logan had been completely sober and then they stepped apart.

"You look great."

"Fatherhood suits you well," There was a familiar air to the conversation when Mac said that, and Veronica smiled to herself. Mac continued. "There's still a couple people up. But I don't think more than two."

"Friends from Santa Barbara, I think they just wanted to stay as long as possible," Veronica added before stepping over for a hug. "She's. . .probably one of the nicest girls you've dated."

Logan snorted. "Compared to who, Caitlin? She was probably the only truly mean one."

"I guess if we take dating to mean actual dating, I'll give you that."

Parker seemed to twitch at that, and Veronica took a deep breath, stepping back from him, but Logan had clearly become incised by the little motion. "What's your problem?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"You, with your little faces and shit, what the fuck is your problem?"

Veronica was hurrying between them as Logan stormed forward, her hands grabbing his arms, she didn't think he would hit her, but it was the surefire way to get his attention, and she shot a glare at her in response. Parker's arms had crossed defensively. "Well you forgot one bitch that you dated, didn't you? The one you left high and dry and pregnant? Here you are playing house, where the hell were you when they had to aspirate out baby out of me?"

"We never had a fucking baby, Parker, you're out of your MIND!"

Veronica glanced at him, and couldn't back her up, despite knowing how wrong he was, because if Logan was this defensive, he had no idea. Parker looked at her with watery eyes and Veronica cleared her throat. "We should go, and Logan, you should go sleep it off. Okay? This isn't good for anyone."

"Uh, um." Mac was stumbling, her gaze dropped and Veronica looked at her before she, Logan and Parker looked to the doorway of the garage, where Tess was standing. She was holding a plate wrapped in tin-foil, hands shaking rapidly. Logan moved immediately to her and she snapped herself out of his reach.

"Don't, don't."

"Tess, don't listen to Parker. . ."

But Tess' head was spinning with thoughts and Mac hurried to take the place as she leaned back against the wall. She remembered the night he had come in late, and a little drunk, he'd said he'd passed out in Parker's room. He'd passed out and now Parker was saying she had been pregnant, too….

Veronica moved to her, waving Logan out of her way. And she pulled her into a hug that even surprised herself. "I know this…doesn't sound good, I know you come from a smart family so you're putting two and two together but…this isn't how it sounds. Logan honestly didn't have sex with her." She kept the baby's paternity to herself, because right now, that wasn't something she needed to hear. And she felt Tess relax considerably, held her a few more minutes before rubbing her back and releasing her.

Tess' face was wet with tears and she looked at him, and squeaked out. "Logan…"

Before she could continue he had her swept up in his arms off of her feet. He didn't say anything else, and Veronica opened the door to the stairs and elevator for him, he paused on his way in and nodded his thanks to her with a grim smile before he headed to the lift.

Veronica turned to face Parker, who was giving her the evil eye, arm still crossed, and shaking now. "You…"

"Parker, what happened to you sucks. It's sad but I know you and Logan didn't have consensual sex, and Tess is not a mean person, you can't risk her baby's life because you lost yours, that's not right or fair or anything like that." She took a deep breath when she realized she had raised her voice. "We'll handle that, but I need you to let Tess have her baby in peace. Please."

Parker nodded slowly, biting her lip before she took a breath. "I'm sorry I just. . He was. . .he didn't even care!"

Veronica glanced to Mac before reaching to rub Parker's back too. "Parker was. . .he awake? When the baby was conceived?"

"I don't. . .he had to have been if it happened, I honestly don't remember being awake…but it happened."

"Let's get you home," Mac chimed softly, to which Veronica nodded before leading them to her car.

* * *

Logan carried Tess from the elevator and through the suite door, never stopping for much of anything. Her friends had left, and he was grateful not to have to kick them out. Just carried her into the bedroom and plopped her ever-so-gently into the satiny sheets, kicking his shoes before he quickly dipped to follow, pulling her in close to his chest.

She cuddled up against him, breathing calmly, very much on purpose, with Logan rubbing her shoulders. "I'm s-…"

"Shh," He told her, shaking his head. "You don't need to, I'm not upset at you."

And that was what was so easy to love about Logan, no matter how clueless he could be about emotion, he always seemed to understand hers, even without needing to blame the pregnancy. He ran his hands through her hair, smiled down into her face. She smiled back, fingers moving to caress his jaw. "You're good to me."

"I'm off to a good start then, don't ever let me become an asshole to you, okay? You're a good person. I'd like for you to never become an alcoholic."

Tess sighed, shook her head. "Only if you insist. I just want you to be happy."


	9. Chapter 9

Broken

Chapter Nine

* * *

In the weeks following Tess' party, Logan became a bit more scarce. A bit more concerned with what was going on with Tess and with finishing up school. The semester was going to come to an end in January, and that meant just over one semester to go before they could graduate and figure out what to do with their degrees. Not to mention the baby was due in December, and as the weeks went on, and the days got closer, Logan and Tess decided to have the baby quietly.

Veronica couldn't really blame them, and she found herself in her own dilemma, Christmas break. By then, things with Shawn were moving steadily along. Which was good in a general way and bad in that that meant that they would be spending Christmas time together. And he'd be meeting Keith and probably sitting down for a conversation with them and while Shawn's humorous antics probably passed off on most people, Veronica knew Keith's jackass detector was more fine-tuned than her own. Things could get ugly, and she'd have to talk to him about that.

And then there was Parker. After the party, she'd gone a little quiet, even to Veronica. Then out of the blue around Thanksgiving she told Mac that she was pregnant again…and she was the glowing advertisement for impending motherhood at Hearst. Some people said she was losing it, but Veronica hoped to have enough faith in her that she hadn't done anything stupid…or truly cracked. Veronica had considered sitting Logan down several times over what was going on with Parker…but with his baby coming so soon, she eventually shelved the conversation in her mind, figured he at least deserved the happy experience.

With Christmas break just days away, though, Veronica figured she'd make sure all was well with them, see if they needed anything or help with any last minute nursery things. And she stepped off of the elevator onto the penthouse floor with a deep breath. Walked up to the hotel door and paused before she lifted her fist and knocked. There was a pause, some shuffling and the door opened slowly.

"Listen we didn't order anything so…" Logan paused in the frame, leaning into it for support. "Oh. Hi." He looked genuinely surprised, and his eyes looked around her as if expecting she had lead the sheriff to arrest him for something. Veronica nearly burst into laughter at his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle PJ pants. But he looked well, his face was clean shaven and his eyes were rested, hair carelessly tousled rather than spiked.

Veronica felt overdressed in her jeans and sweater, and it made her smile. "Hi. I just wanted to stop in, spread a little Christmas cheer." She shook the bag she had hauled up with her. "See if you guys need a hand with anything at all. Can I come in?"

"Sure, sure," He stepped aside and revealed a miniature version of his mother's winter wonderlands, the tree as big as they could fit and decorate in the penthouse with a mix of expensive and cute ornaments and garlands crossing it. Presents were already piled under it and little things hung here and there around the room. A glance into the back where the balcony was revealed fluffy cotton snow draped over it.

"It looks like Santa hit you guys early!"

He laughed as he closed the door and he turned to watch her glance all around. "Yeah, I had to pay him to expedite all of this. But Mom was such a great client, he gave me a discount." They exchanged sad smiles and Veronica opened her bag to dump a new pile of things under the tree.

"Most of this is for the baby. There's something for each of you too, though. I don't know how strict your Christmas gifting rules are but if you'd like to open them tonight, I'd love to see your faces."

Logan watched the pile a moment, his expression calm and thoughtful before he nodded. "Yeah, just uh, hang on." He left to the bedroom and Veronica stood from where she had been kneeling, crossed her arms and looked over as Tess and Logan entered. Tess seemed jut as surprised as him, but she offered a friendly smile.

"There' a face we haven't seen in a bit," She said softly, plopping onto the couch. Logan made sure she was cool before going to grab the gifts Veronica had brought, and he plopped onto the couch with them in hand. "Okay. These three are to Baby Echolls…from Mrs. Claus?" He and Veronica exchanged amused chuckles before he grabbed the other things. "Two for you and two for me." He looked at Veronica with raised brows. "Was there a Blue Light special?"

"Please," Veronica said with a mock sneer, plopping onto a recliner. "Rollbacks all the way! G'head. Open 'em."

They opened the baby gifts as jointly as they could. Tons of clothes piled into one, a diaper bag Tess had registered for in the other, a mutual gift from her, Mac and Wallace, and then a little kit to put together a sort of ID card for the baby over the years with room for a picture and information on him, just in case he ever disappeared from their sight in a Macy's.

They both nudged Tess to open her gifts first. The top one was filled with coupons for local spas, restaurants and stores. Basically ensuring Tess' basic and Mommy needs were met for the entire first year of the baby's existence. The bottom was a taser. Neatly wrapped with a page of Veronica's personal instructions and tips on usage.

In Logan's was a humorous book on becoming a father, some shot glasses, and a brand new pooka shell necklace, wrapped in a t-shirt commemorating the fact that Logan had shot a live round. The couple was amused, and grateful, and Veronica ended up staying far later than she had intended. They watched some suspenseful flick with Robin Williams (to which Logan kept muttering about how he was in the _wrong _genre) and ended up ordering room service.

Fed, and satisfied at having made amends, Veronica found herself gathering her things well after midnight. She had already texted Keith about being late, so at least she didn't have to sneak in. She glanced over to where Tess was asleep in Logan's arms on the couch. "So, are you ready for this next step into adulthood? It's going to be pretty scary just for me to think of you as a dad."

Logan snorted. Waved his hand in dismissal into the air. "I'm not a dad. I'm a big brother that happened to be a sperm donor as well." He patted Tess' belly. "So we're leaving. Tomorrow. To go to Hawaii again. We figured it'd be better for the little guy to be born there…."

"That's probably a good idea. Fewer news choppers. More pineapples."

"We talked about it and we want to fly you and Shawn out. When it happens. So you can be the first to meet him."

"Him!" Veronica couldn't help a playful grin. "Did you just slip me a gender!"

"Well I don't _know_ it's a him, I just…guess. It feels like a him."

"Sounds like a dad's wishful thinking to me, don't go buying any cleats just yet."

Logan laughed at that, nearly woke Tess and she groaned sleepily before quieting. "You're getting me all worked up. Get outta here."

"Later, pops." She saluted him quickly before hurrying out to drive home.

* * *

The first week of Christmas break went by pretty slowly. Too slowly, for Veronica. She and Shawn did get to spend quite a bit of time together. He came by to meet Keith and have dinner twice. They'd agreed that while Christmas Eve and Christmas dinners would just be with their respective families, the rest of break was pretty fair game.

December 22nd changed everything though. Keith had left the house in the middle of the night and only left a not saying he had been contacted about a case out of state where he had been asked to help investigate. He'd call soon. Veronica tried to call Logan to see if Tess was close to popping and settling their bets on gender, but he didn't answer. A check of her email revealed that most of her friends had opted to fly to Hawaii to hang with the Echolls' for Christmas break.

Alone in Neptune, Veronica ended up heading to get ice cream. She debated to call Shawn to see if he wanted to hang out, but figured since it was so close to Christmas there was no point in dragging him out there for less than a day. She went to bed that night, curled up with Backup, oblivious to the bomb that was going to go off the next day.

* * *

AN- Sorry it's shorter, and sorry if anyone read it before it went down, reading the next complete part I realized the way I had wrapped this one up didn't work just right and needed to be fixed.


	10. Chapter 10

An- Glad to see we made it this far, friends. But I have to warn you that this chapter is graphic and contains some disturbing material.

* * *

The rundown. Morning of December 22nd.

"The victim is approximately twenty years old, female, Caucasian."

A camera made wheezing sounds between the coroner's words, and Keith watched the scene unfolding before him, his hands on his hips, fingers moving in slow circles. Trying to keep himself calm and detached.

"She was found here, in her bed, at approximately ten o'clock PM…"

More wheezes and flashes, the bustle of crime scene investigators as they looked around the room.

"By her husband…"

The briefing continued and Keith finally moved to bend over the body, his face drawn with sadness as he studied her. Lifting his eyes to a spatter of blood on the wall above the bed. The man continued.

"She has been positively identified by Sheriff Mars as Tesla R. Echolls. Born in Santa Barbara. She's a student at Hearst University in Neptune California, and, according to Sheriff Mars, she was between eight to nine months pregnant at the time of her death."

And hearing it out loud rocked Keith's world all over again, he stood straight to take in the whole picture. The girl, his daughter's age, wearing a nightgown, would seem peacefully asleep, were the white cotton gown not soaked in her blood, pretty much from neck to ankle. The inside of the bedspread were crimson as well, and the top side of the comforter was almost clean, except for a couple small spots where blood had begun to seep through in the last hour.

The gown had been put on her post-mortem and was hiding the extent of her injuries for now but Keith had seen when they had lifted it and he almost gagged just remembering her, gutted like a fish for dinner. He tried to tune out his thoughts to listen to the Hawaiian cop.

"There was a placenta and umbilical cord found in the bathtub, both items have been collected for evidence. No sign of an infant anywhere in the room, or the rest of the house. An Amber alert has been issued, however, as of now, we do not know the gender of the baby that we are seeking."

Keith followed them in a vehicle of personnel once they transported the body to the morgue where an autopsy would be performed immediately to look for clues to help find Tesla Echoll's missing baby. It took about 45 minutes for them to be ready for him to join them in the examination room, where Tess' clothing had been removed and light shone down on her. She was ghostly white, drained of her blood in the time she had been laying in the bed before she had been discovered.

Keith was silent, watching her face, unharmed, and peaceful. Such a young girl, and, from what he had heard, such a nice one. The nice ones seemed to always be prey.

"The victim was hit on the left side of her head, her skull appears to be fractured and there are numerous bruises along her arms and ankles that suggest that prior to this blow, she had struggled."

"Judging from the shape of the blow and the markers in it, this was done with a blunt object, something very heavy."

"There is an incision along the under-side of the belly approximately two inches lower than the navel, about," The doctor moved to measure the cut, being held together, with a roll of measuring tape before noting the number on the diagram. "12 and a half inches wide. The uterus was opened, probably with a kitchen knife, and now a medical scalpel. There's a significant amount of tearing, it's likely that the infant was injured."

"Placenta was partially removed, with about a quarter of it left inside of the womb."

"Post botched c-section, another slice was made vertically from the first cut up to the navel."

"Cause of death is likely bloodloss." The boss said, sifting through Tess' skin. "I'd say she might have lived but someone would have had to have walked in right after it happened, with the amount of blood in the room and the amount not in her, I'd say she lay in that bed close to two hours, but no more than 2 ½."

Notes were taken and people filed off, some amniotic fluid salvaged from the placenta left over. They could hope to test it for the baby's gender, and aid in the search.

On his way out a young officer offered Keith his condolences and then asked, "Who could have done something like this?"

Keith, for once, had no answer. In all his years in law enforcement and as a PI, he had never seen anything as heinous as what had been done to Logan Echolls young wife. He only hoped there were a happier ending as far as the baby went.

* * *

December 23rd.

It was all too eerily familiar, to Veronica. Waking up in the wee morning hours because someone was knocking on the door, stumbling out with sleepy eyes and finding Logan Echolls outside. He was a mess, blood spattered on his clothes, his face red and tear-stained and just hysterical as he sobbed. The poor bastard had flown to California with the transport of Tess' body in the same clothes he had found her in.

Before she even got to say anything she had pulled him into her arms. Dragged him inside past his wobbly legs to sit on the couch. "Logan, what happened?"

"Oh God, oh GOD oh GOD." He cried and said that for a good ten minutes before he couldn't manage any more tears, his voice hiccupping as he told her. "Tess is. . .Tess. . .she's dead Veronica. DEAD VERONICA, Oh GOD!"

That hit Veronica like a metal shovel to the face and she was thrown back against the couch. Tess dead? That wasn't possible. Tess was nice. She was sweet and funny and she had become a friend to Veronica, there was no way that light had been. . .

Tess was dead? No, no, Tess was. . .

Oh God.

"Logan," Veronica put her hands on his arms. "Logan, shhh, Logan, sweetie, how? What happened and what about the baby?"

"Oh God," Logan wiped at his face with his sleeves, his voice high with his anxiety, cracking with grief. "Some sick fuck cut the baby out, they cut it out, Veronica, like she was a dog, they just cut the baby out and she's dead…"

Veronica winced at that, pausing to swallow back a wave of nausea. Logan continued. "Your dad went with the cops when they took her, but they don't know how they're going to find the baby…"

"They've probably issued an Amber alert, I'm sure…"

"We were gonna be surprised, Veronica. We. . .I didn't find out what the baby was. Tess snuck a glance but I told her not to tell me so we're looking for a baby we don't know the gender of."

Veronica watched him with tears in her eyes, having never seen Logan come unraveled…well, the last time, really, had been when he had realized Lynn was gone, for good. An idea sparked suddenly and she stood. "Logan, if she saw the sex on the sonogram her doctor knows what it is, what was their name?" She had already crossed to her phone.

"Um," Logan wiped at his cheeks again. "Goldstein, I think his first name was Adam."

She dialed and waited. "Hi, I'm calling on behalf of the Balboa county sheriff, he's investigating a murder/kidnapping that happened today, I need to know if there's an OBGYN there named Adam Goldstein." She paused, waiting for them to look him, up, and then her eyes widened with relief. "Is he working tonight? Great, may I be connected to him?"

A pause, Logan could hear the hold music, some machine-reproduced Latin music. Then the doctor's voice. "Hi, Dr. Goldstein my name's Veronica Mars, I'm a private investigator, I'm calling because, I'm sad to say, one of your patients, Tesla Echolls was killed earlier this evening for her baby. There's been an Amber alert issued but we need to know the gender to narrow it down, yes, I understand, take your time." Veronica tapped her hand on her thigh anxiously and Logan had stood up to get a glass of water, she watched to make sure he was just doing that.

He returned just as the doctor came back on the line. "Yes I'm still here. . . .uh huh, okay. Thanks so much, doctor. Yes, I'll do that, thank you." She hung up the phone, paused as she braced herself. Logan was watching her, and she got right to the chase. "Well, today, as somber of a day as it is, you are the father of a bouncing baby boy."

* * *

Keith sighed as he came from the office, smiled tiredly at his daughter. "I hear you worked a little phone magic before I got a chance last night," He pulled her into a tight hug. "Thanks honey. What's up?"

"I'm just here with Logan, I didn't want him to have to come in here himself, he was hysterical last night."

"I don't blame him." Keith said softly, parting from her embrace. He gave her should a pat before walking past her to go into the interrogation room where Logan was curled up in his chair, staring at his left hand, placed across the table in front of him. Keith swallowed softly. "Logan? Are you sure you're okay to talk?"

Logan shook his head, looking up at Keith, his eyes red from having not slept, his face drawn and ashen. "I'm not ready, but if I don't absolve myself of my wife's slaughter, God only knows what will happen to me."

Keith ignored that comment, sitting down across from him. "Okay, well, can you just tell me what happened last night."

Logan sighed, scratching at something on the surface of his ring before he blew at it. "I went out to a movie with Dick and Wallace. Tess didn't want to go because she was a week from her due date and she didn't want to go into labor there, so I left at 7 and I was back just after ten. I came into the room…" His voice wavered and he had to take a breath. "And it was dark, and I could see her shape in the bed so I figured she just wasn't feeling good. She had a lot of days being pregnant where she just felt like crap. So I didn't turn the light right on, I walked over and I asked her if she was okay."

He gestured as if he were walking ahead. "And I bent over and kissed her cheek and she was cold, and I didn't think.. I just thought the AC had given her like, a chill. So I picked the covers back to crawl in to lay with her and…and it was all wet and my first thought was that her water had broken or she'd like given birth in her sleep so I panicked and I hurried over to turn the light out and I. . .her back was to me but the sheets were white when I left and there was a giant . . .red blob around her. So I rolled her over and I felt her belly and it was all wobbly and empty and I could feel my fingers touching inside of her through her gown so I went out into the hall, blew my lunch, and called 911."

Keith finished writing shortly after he had finished talking, and he took a deep breath. "So, I only have a few questions, and they all pertain to the investigation to find your son. Do you have any idea why someone would want to steal your baby so they'd go so far as to. . ."

"Only every crazed fan of my parents who had a picture of my on their wall growing up," Logan told him. "Other than that, no, never been threatened like this by anyone."

Veronica, at that, had walked out. Her thoughts suddenly snapping to Shawn and his father and the investigation that they had thought they had had covered. Nothing else they said could have convinced her more to look into a few theories bubbling in her head.

* * *

Despite his recent loss, Shawn was quick to meet with Veronica at the coffee house on campus. He was pale, ashen even, with red eyes, and his hands shook whenever he went to move or use them, so Veronica ended up stirring his coffee and such for him to make sure he didn't dump it all over himself. "So, they've got a lot of people out looking for the baby. . ."

"Good, good."

"And he'll lead them to whoever….played doctor. So."

"We know who did this Veronica. We know, we just need to tell the cops."

"It's not that simple," Veronica took his hand gently. "Shawn, Parker moved out of Neptune over a week ago, and your nephew has only been missing for a day. I don't think…."

"Then she's faking it, Veronica, she didn't go anywhere, that crazy bitch killed my sister!" The outburst set Veronica back against her chair, her hand withdrawn and Shawn dropped his head into the scoops of his arms on the table.

Veronica wasn't sure what to believe. Parker's dorm was empty and she had definitely bought a ticket to Denver, and she had definitely boarded the plane according to airport security. But Shawn was hurting, and she understood that. "Okay, we'll figure it out, trust me. I won't let this go unpunished."

One of the baristas walked over to turn up the volume on the TV nearby and both Shawn and Veronica looked up as Keith Mars appeared, making a public statement in front of a series of microphones. "At approximately nine PM yesterday, Tesla Spencer-Echolls was killed in her home when an unidentified person let himself in and cut her 40 week infant from her womb. The child, Cody Spencer Echolls, is believed to be alive based on the forensic information we have available to us. If you know anything about the whereabouts of this little boy, or see anything suspicious involving a newborn infant, please call the sheriff's department."

Keith stepped down and Veronica nearly turned back to Shawn when Logan stepped up where Keith had been standing. Sniffling before he began speaking. "I am speaking to the. . ." A sharp glance from Keith halted Logan's words briefly. "Person, for lack of a better term. That has my son. Cody was loved and nurtured long before you ripped him from his mother's body. We've spent the past eight months preparing our little piece of the world for him and that world has been shattered since his mother isn't in it anymore," Logan's eyes had watered over and he had quickly dropped them to a piece of paper in his hands. "I've never been the most sentimental guy, but I'd hoped that I could give my kid a fresh start with his life. If he's not here with me where he belongs, I can't do that. I'm offering a cash reward of $25,000 for the safe return of my son, to be paid when a DNA test confirms he's mine and an additional $25,000 reward for the capture of my wife's killer. Dead or alive." Logan dropped out of the way before Keith could reprimand him for his statement and the sheriff quickly hopped in front of the microphone.

Veronica bit her lip and looked back over to Shawn, reached to pat his hand. "I'm gonna see what I can do."


	11. Chapter 11

The funeral was the day after Christmas, in Santa Barbara. Henry, Madeline, and Logan had teamed up to make the arrangements. Generally, he let them decide everything and footed the bill, but he did bring the dress he wanted her to be buried in, and he had a heavy hand in designing the grave stone. Beautiful black marble with a photo of her etched into it. It read,

**'TESLA R. SPENCER-ECHOLLS. FEBRUARY 1988-DECEMBER 2010. BELOVED WIFE, MOTHER AND DAUGHTER.'**

Etched in smaller lettering below the main parts, _"In your name I find meaning. So I'm holdin' on."_

They would bury her with her wedding ring, a baby blanket, if God forbid their son be found dead, he could be buried with her, and copies of all of his ultrasounds, in case he was alive, so she could take a part of him with her. The funeral home was rough. It smelled like formaldehyde, and Logan was nauseated the moment they opened the chapel doors to reveal her. Pale, and beautiful, in a lilac dress that had made her eyes beam with life before. It was an eerily suitable way to commend her to death.

Her parents kissed her a lot, and touched her face. Madeline begged for her to wake up and Henry held her, tears running down his face. Shawn stayed at the far end of the room the entire service while family sat in the little chairs and cried. He kept his eyes on his shoes, and his hand tightly wrapped in Veronica's. She stared at Logan the entire time.

He was sitting in the front, with a program in his hands. His face was blotchy from crying, although he had done all of that privately. Once the extended family and friends were all gone he set the program on the chair and walked over to the casket to stare down at her. The funeral directors made sure all the windows were shaded and the doors locked. He stared down at her for a long moment, at the peaceful smile on her face and the way her scarlet hair curled down her shoulders. They'd done a lovely job. Even just with the way the blanket covered her to hide her previously round tummy's distorted shape.

And so he bent and pressed his lips to her cool forehead. She was largely just like Tess. She smelled differently, and she was so quiet and still, but she was still soft and she was still his. Logan brushed his fingers across her cheek and then reached to touch her hand, stroking her wedding ring before he smiled down at her gently. "You…were…You were it. And I just want you to know no matter where I go in life, you made my life better than I ever thought it would be. Because you were the path I took away from becoming a monster." A softer kiss to her lips. "I will love you forever, Tesla Rose."

He gave one last lingering look, and then he stepped back. Madeline and Henry were bawled up together, trying to draw comfort, and so Shawn released his girlfriend's hand with trembling fingers, and walked to the casket. His memories of Tess were so different, compared to Logan's. His were of always being ten years ahead. He had a running start so he could protect her, and when she was most vulnerable he had let her down. He remembered a little girl with a head covered in fire and Henry's big blue eyes. Madeline's smile, and his mischievous side.

And here she was, in death. She looked like someone he had hoped to get to know her as. Tesla the mom. With her hands crossed delicately and her lips in a little, sleepy grin. It broke him, and his knees nearly gave out. Seeing him stumble, Veronica and Henry both hurried to steady him, and watched his tears flood him. "It was never supposed to be this way I…Tess…Tess, I'm so sorry, kid sister. I am SO sorry for this."

He managed to pat her hand gently, but he couldn't bring himself to kiss her. She knew, wherever she was. Henry turned him to hold his son to his chest, and Shawn burst into tears that he otherwise never would have let Henry see him cry. Madeline came to hug them both, and the funeral director moved to shut the casket to move it to the hearse waiting outside when there was a knock at the chapel door, just as he reached for the cover. Everyone looked at one another, not sure who else would be coming so late after the public service, but they allowed him to open the door.

And Veronica gasped out loud when the opening revealed Parker, in black dress suit and hat, with a baby cradled in a bundle of blankets in her arms. She moved down the aisle of chairs to the front and frowned down at the casket, looking to the Spencer's. "I am so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine…Tess was such a wonderful, sweet girl."

"Parker…" Logan's voice was nearly a growl, and somehow Henry held him back with Shawn and Veronica turned to mouth for him to play along.

Parker frowned more at Logan. "I'm sorry, Logan. I know you loved her." She dropped her gaze into her arms with a tender little smile.

"Hey," Veronica approached her. "Her Park. What uh, whatcha got there?"

"Oh! I almost forgot, I haven't seen you all in a while," She beamed up at them. "The doctor was wrong, Veronica. He didn't die. He's right here."

Veronica felt a wave of nausea shake her at the thought of what Parker would have had to do with no knowledge of the human body to get that baby out of Tess….and she managed to swallow it back for a moment, but her tears were too overwhelming. "Parker, I'm so happy for you…"

Madeline had caught on, and was cautiously approaching her from an angle. "He looks a little pale," She told her. Parker jumped and turned to look at her with slightly narrow eyes. "What did the doctor that delivered him say about his health?"

"He's perfect," Parker assured softly.

"I bet," Madeline said gently, easing forward still. "Parker, I'm a doctor. If you wouldn't mind I'd like to look at him. Just to take a peak."

Parker looked at her, then Veronica, then the men and cleared her throat. "Well I suppose that it couldn't hurt. Just to be sure. Besides, you've suffered such a great loss…" She was slowly shifting him to hand to Madeline. "Be careful with his head…"

"Oh," Madeline was fighting tears herself as he was slowly transferred to her. "I know, I had two myself."

Once he was safely in her arms, he opened his little eyes, and Tess' startling blues were looking back at her. She nodded to Henry, and he and Shawn both dove to grab one of Parker's arms, and she began to scream as Madeline carried the baby to Logan.

"No, stop! What are you! She's _stealing_ my _baby_, bring him back!"

Madeline approached Logan as the funeral director moved to call the police and the Neptune Sheriff's office. Logan stared in amazement as his son came into view, his mother's eyes and fuzzy dark hair on his head. He gurgled a little and Logan looked at his former mother-in-law. "Is he ok?"

She was unsaddling him to check him for any accidental cuts, and aside from a sloppily cut umbilical cord, he was fine. She nodded and smiled at him. "Nothing wrong with him." The grief that had broken them all briefly forgotten in the joy of meeting Cody. Madeline slowly sifted him into his father's arms, and guided Logan to hold him properly.

And Logan smiled down into his face. "Hi, Cody." He was skinnier than Logan had pictured, but he assumed Parker didn't know fuck all about feeding a newborn. "Oh, you gave me a very, very big scare, young man." Stroking his little cheek he smiled a little. "Don't worry, buddy. Mom's not here anymore," His eyes darted to Tess in the purple dress in the casket. "But I'm gonna take good care of you, I promise."

He moved over to Tess' one more time to gently brush Cody's fingers across the back of her hand, so mother and son had one singular moment of contact after his birth, however violent it was, and wherever she might be now. And then he took him to go sit in the hallway away from Parker's screaming as they waited for the cops.

* * *

Sorry it's shorter. I tied it up as neatly as I could, and I'm happy with that.

But my question for all of you is, would you prefer a LoVe ending, aVawn ending, or shall I write both just to overindulge you guys?


	12. Epilogue

Broken, Epilogue.

One Year Later

"Burton?" As he climbed out of his blue Yaris, Gus turned his head back to where Madeline was exiting her car. "Burton, do you have any Kleenex in your car?" She glanced back lovingly as Henry sheepishly slipped from the driver's side of the same car that she had been in. "Henry's _allergies are acting up. And we didn't have any."_

_Gus smiled at Henry, and spared him the joke that otherwise he and Shawn would have been all over. "Of course," He ducked back into the Yaris to grab a couple of tissues from his glove compartment before he handed them to Maddie. "I never go anywhere without a few." Truth be told, he had a traveler pack in his back pocket._

"_Thanks," Henry mumbled as he took them from his wife, wiping at his nose, and when Gus wasn't looking, the corners of his eyes. Gus was retrieving a large gift bag from his backseat, whereas Maddie was juggling a pile of presents. When they were all ready, Henry took half of them and looped his arm through hers before they all made the trek up to the house._

"_So, Shawn didn't come with you guys?"_

"_He said he was going to get a ride early with Veronica," Maddie responded. "To help set up. I think he just came to play with Cody while she did all the dirty work." Both Gus and Henry chuckled at that, knowing how right she probably was. None of them had a chance to knock at the door before it swung open and a butler took their things and showed them inside. _

_At this point, all of them had been inside of Logan's home many times to see Cody, but it was still amazing to them. And today it was done up in balloons and crepe paper and looked a lot like the average six year old's birthday party. The h'ors d'ouvres were cheeseburger empanadas and pigs in a blanket, and the only adult thing there was a tray of champagne. _

"_Guys!" They all turned from staring at everything to see Logan hurrying over from having been outside, and he had a giant plate of burgers, hot dogs and ribs. Stains from cooking on the grill all over his shirt. Maddie smiled and hurried over to hug him once he had set the food down, and Henry and Gus both shook his hand. "Glad you made it!"_

"_We'd never miss it," Henry said with a smile. "Place looks great."_

"_It was a battle not to go too overboard. I keep forgetting that one year olds really have no use for strippers and Mercedes…" He and Henry shared a briefly stern glance before they both burst into laughter. In the course of a year, Henry had quickly come to see what Tess had grown to love about him, and learned to accept the parts of him that he didn't really understand. There wasn't any choice in that, he was his grandson's father, and with Tess gone, things had to be different. _

_Madeline clasped her hands, glancing around with wild eyes that they all knew too well. "So! Where is he?"_

_Logan glanced around the small groups of guests that littered the house, and leaned to look out the back patio door. "Uh, well Shawn was just here about ten minutes ago…I think he had him la…"_

"_Oh, Shawnie, come here!" She had already spotted her prey, and was hurrying over to pounce. Shawn laughed heartily as he passed his nephew over to his mom. Cody was decked out in miniature Calvin Klein jeans, and a t-shirt that said "First Birthday Boy." Something Veronica had gotten him for the big day, and Maddie was in love with it already. "Oooooh here he is, here's my big boy…my, you're growing so fast!"_

_Henry scooted over to join her, with his arm around her shoulders as they peered down at him and Cody laughed with glee. "Ama. Pappa!" They all took a moment to cuddle and kiss, and bury the sadness in their hearts that also came with this day._

_Shawn, meanwhile moved to pound Gus' fist and watched them with a sigh as Logan joined them. "You know I was really against it at first but I think Tess would have been thrilled to see them get married again," He and Logan exchanged sad smiles. "She'd have been planning the hell out of that wedding."_

_Logan nodded. "She was there. You could feel her. The air was so thick."_

_Shawn hated to admit such a thing, but he was right. He nodded his agreement as the patio door slid open and he smiled as Veronica came in with toasted buns on a new plate. "All righty, I think everything is just about ready for lunch." She paused to stand on tip-toe to kiss Shawn lightly, and Logan rolled his eyes, moving over to his in-laws. "All right, you nasty fools, not in front of the baby!"_

_Maddie relinquished him with a sigh but smiled as Logan transferred him to Gus. Shawn's best friend smiled and bounced him slightly as he shifted his grasp on the tot. "Hey dude, you're a year old today." Shawn smiled to himself as he helped Veronica set up food. Gus wasn't always too comfortable with kids. Hell, he wasn't always himself. But he had made a serious effort with Cody from the beginning, and they had their own little bond now. Gus would talk to him about a bunch of smart stuff, and he swore it must have made the kid smarter by every minute._

_He couldn't help but continue to glance at Veronica as she worked, her skin and hair sun-kissed. Her eyes glowing with happiness. The small glint of gold on her left hand. Logan and Gus took Cody out for a dip in the kiddie pool, and he took the opportunity to step closer to her. "So. My parents said they wanted to do like a Christmas thing with us and Logan tonight when everyone leaves." _

"_My dad will be here too." She promised with a smile._

_He nodded and picked up her hand to kiss the back. "I can't believe she's been gone a year, Vee."_

_Veronica was quiet, family pain and grief and all that were still a little touchy for her, but she smiled up into his face. "I can't believe Cody has been in this world for a year."_

_They smiled at one another and he sighed. "Oh, wifey, wifey. What am I ever going to do with your optimism?" _

_Veronica snorted as she fixed a plate. "Is there anything you haven't done with it?"_

_Shawn feigned a hurt face, and went to eat too. As the hours went on, the party slowed down until they had seen the last few people off with party favors. Their parents, Logan and Gus and Cody were all in the living room by the tree, and they joined them after making sure the house was locked up and the alarm was on. Plopping down with Cody on the rug near the presents, Veronica pulled him into her lap with a kiss to the top of his head. They all exchanged gifts and nearly the entire pile went to the toddler, before it came down to what Shawn and Veronica were passing out._

_Everyone got a small envelope. And they all looked at one another suspiciously before Veronica laughed. "Well go on, you guys, open them!" _

_Madeline was first, covering her mouth as she read the contents. Then Henry, with tears forming in his eyes again and Logan and Gus, who both smiled warmly, and both teared up a little, but quickly wiped it on their respective sleeves. Shawn glanced over at his bride, and picked up Henry's card to read it aloud._

"_You are all cordially invited to be a part of a new life, in June. When we, Shawn and Veronica, will be welcoming out first baby into the world."_

_Logan was the first to speak, sitting back in his chair with a grin. "I knew she was spending an awful lot of time in the bathroom today…"_

_Veronica laughed. "Shut up! I was barely in there."_

_Gus shot Shawn a look that was halfway between a glare and a smile before he shook his head. "Guys, this is great. Congratulations." _

_Henry was the first to stand and Shawn followed suit, and they met in a long hug. He smiled at his son once he pulled back, and then at his wife as she joined them. "This is really fantastic Shawn. I'm really proud of you. Of everything you've done this year."_

"_We both are," Maddie said as she pulled him close to kiss his cheek. "And your sister would be, too."_

"_I know," Shawn said softly, his throat tightening up a little. "If it's a girl, we really want to name her Tesla."_

_They all hugged Veronica gently. And she smiled, wiping her own tears away. "It's the least we can do, if it weren't for her we never would have met."_

_Maddie smiled at them as tears began to overwhelm her, and she managed to squeak out. "She…she would have hated it…" And she laughed, breaking past her sadness. "But she would have been terribly flattered."_

_The others laughed too, knowing how much she had hated the name. As they celebrated with champagne and cake, Logan scooped up Cody and blew a raspberry on his tummy as he carried him outside. He took a flashlight and shone the way down the property some until he reached Tess's grave site. They'd bought the land before her death, but the house hadn't been finished. Now it was. And she would always be here, where she belonged. Logan plopped down on the glass with Cody in his lap and smiled at the etched photo of his late wife on the stone._

"_Hey, Momma." It was upright, and surrounded by flowers and the statue of an angel. Logan had tried not to come out a lot, mostly because when Cody had been tinier and floppier it hadn't seemed like a safe place for him, but in the last few weeks, he had come more and more. "Party was nice. Cody got a lot of cool stuff…and your brother and Veronica, they're gonna have a baby this coming summer."_

"_Ama, 'ama…" Cody sighed as he swayed around his Dad's lap, and Logan kissed his temple. "We're doing okay. We're gonna be all right but we both miss you tons." He smiled down at Cody when he yawned. "You wanna go NiNi?"_

"_Nini." Cody agreed, giving his father his best grumpy face. Logan nodded and lifted his arms form him. _

"_Say Nini to Momma."_

_Cody stood on wobbly legs and took a few, unsteady steps to his mother's stone before he bent and kissed her face. "Nini 'ama."_


End file.
